It is linked to political freedoms and economic prosperity – Based on the study’s findings, approximately one-third of the Earth’s population is now online
Cheap Internet should be one of the recognized human rights, as it is linked to political freedoms and economic prosperity, according to an international public opinion survey conducted in 24 countries and a representative sample of 23,376 people.
Furthermore, most people are negative about the possibility of a state or organization controlling the Internet, as this would pose risks to free speech.
The survey , conducted between October 7 and November 12 and presented at the start of a two-day conference in the Canadian capital Ottawa on Internet governance, according to the Agence France-Presse, estimates, among other things, that approximately one-third of the Earth's population, around 2.3 billion people, are now online.
The Global Commission on Internet Governance, chaired by former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt and which is organizing the international meeting, is set to present its proposals in 2016 on who and how will "run" the global internet.
Over 80% of respondents said that access to the Internet is "key" to their economic future and survival, that it is very important for free political expression and freedom of speech in general, and that it should therefore be a basic human right. Users in Africa and the Middle East overwhelmingly share this view.
But the public appears uncertain and divided about how the Internet should be governed internationally. 57% trust a combination of technical experts, engineers and non-governmental organizations to set the rules and standards for the Internet worldwide. 36%, on the other hand, would prefer the UN to take the lead.
Two-thirds of users worldwide (64%) say they are increasingly concerned about the protection of their personal data, particularly fearing the theft of banking information, photos, messages, etc. They are also concerned about cyber espionage and government censorship on the internet.
Comparatively, the least concerned about the above are North Americans (35%) and Europeans (36%), but they are also the most cautious of all about making their personal data public and sharing it online.
Source: protothema.gr
