The digital divide: are human rights enough?

• Pages: 203-214

Capítulo 13

The digital divide:

are human rights enough?

Beatriz Rayón Viña

Universidad de Oviedo

rayonbeatriz@uniovi.es

1. INTRODUCTION: WHAT HAS MADE THE UN ESTABLISH

THE RIGHT TO THE INTERNET ACCESS?

According to the 3rd item addressed in the Human Rights Council agenda at its

17th session, in 2011, the Internet was established as a human right, registered as reso-

lution 7/36 (UN General Assembly, 2011). The General Assembly published a report

in May 16th of that year to promote and protect the r ight to freedom of opinion and

expression. This document addresses the defense of the Internet as a right because of

its ability to share and receive information. Likewise, it was considered due to other

human rights associated with the use of the Internet. This was decided because “its

current use throughout the world across different age groups, and incorporation into

virtually every aspect of modern human life, has been unprecedented” (ITU Publica-

tions, 2021: p.4).

1.1. The human right to the Internet

This tool has become of great importance because it represents a leap forward as

an interactive medium: the existence of the Internet allows access to an enormous

amount of information and knowledge that was previously unattainable. This is be-

cause humanity had never had such a fast tool before, with a global reach as the In-

ternet does. Due to this, the report comments on the need for all States to focus on

facilitating access to the Internet for all individuals, with as few restrictions as possi-