This past week at the Public Square, the not so far fetch concept of universally free internet was discussed among our debaters. With ever growing technology at the tip of societies fingers and a portable computer the size of ones hand, it’s impossible not to consider the internet in this day in age as an utter necessity. However, when you boil down to the fundamentals of human rights, does internet fit?
Joining us on the issue was Derek Pugh from Campaign for America’s Future and Nick Morpus from Liberty Minds. Both individuals made valid arguments on the issue, presenting both sides of the coin.
“In this day in age the Internet is becoming essential. It is almost required for everything. We have the capacity to provide it to our citizens, it would increase productivity, we should do it,” Pugh said.
Morpus immediately jumped in with the statement that Internet is an industry and a business like any other. If provided for free, how would it actually contribute to the productivity of society?
“I do not believe we actually have the means to provide something like this for free. We are well over 17 trillion dollars in debt. That’s 17 trillion dollars of obligations we need to fill down the road. Someone is going to have to pay for this and right now I don’t see it as being a possibility,” Morpus said.
James Hedrick a PhD candidate for Rice University sided with Morpus declaring the idea of free universal internet a irrational and unreasonable proposal.
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