Revisiting access to internet as a fundamental right in times of COVID-19

Abstract

The pandemic crisis that we are experiencing today has demonstrated the vulnerability of people with no Internet access. To begin with, during the obligatory quarantine, lots of students did not attend classes because they did not have Internet access. This means that they did not exercise their right to education, a fundamental right in the European Union. Besides that, those who are info-excluded are not able to communicate with anyone or obtain information, which leads to a digital divide problem that brings serial inequalities. It is also known that many people use the Internet to exercise their civil rights and participate in democratic processes, which once more reveals the disadvantages for those who do not have Internet connectivity. The truth is that, nowadays, Internet access is vital for the exercise of other fundamental rights that have to be safeguarded. All of these factors combined are proof of the importance of establishing Internet access as a fundamental right in the European Union.