Do you feel that Internet access is a fundamental right? Four out of five adults in more than 26 countries say it is, according to a new poll by the BBC World Service. The poll asked more than 27,000 adults about their attitudes towards the Internet, and found that 87% of those who regularly use the Internet believe access should be "the fundamental right of all people." More than 71% of non-Internet users also felt that they should have the right to access the Internet. In both South Korea and Mexico, more than 90% of those surveyed agreed that access was a fundamental right. Other highlights:
• 80% of global respondents said they felt the Web had brought them greater freedom; 90% said they thought it was a good place to learn; just over 50% said they enjoyed spending their time on social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace.
• Almost half said they did not agree with the statement that "the Internet is a safe place to express my opinions." Germany (with 72%) and South Korea (70%) had the highest proportion who felt the Internet was not a safe place.
• More than half of Internet users surveyed said "the Internet should never be regulated by any level of government anywhere."
• A large number of those surveyed said they didn’t think they could cope without the Internet, including 84% of those polled in Japan and 81% of those in Mexico.
• Those who were surveyed in the United States were more likely than the average to say the Internet has given them freedom (85% compared to 78% worldwide).
