For most of us, the Internet has been woven so seamlessly into every aspect of our lives. It’s become second nature to Google something we’re unsure of or scroll social media to stay in touch with loved ones.
We almost can’t picture not being able to do that because it’s something we’re so used to. Is this connectivity something we take for granted? Or should high-speed Internet be a basic human right, giving everyone equal opportunities and access to online services?
A few industry experts have shared their thoughts on the debate.
Our Experts
- Ed Gaudet: CEO and Founder of Censinet.
- Dewi Gale: Founder of Fittux.com.
- Deepak Shukla: CEO of Pearl Lemon Web.
- Steven Athwal: CEO and Founder of The Big Phone Store.
- Caleb John: Director of Exceed Plumbing.
- Steven Bahbah: Managing Director at Service First Plumbing.
- Niels Brabandt: Owner and Founder of NB Networks.
- Ryan McCallister: President and Founder of F5 Mortgage.
- Jason Vaught: Director of Content & Marketing at SmashBrand.
Ed Gaudet, CEO and Founder of Censinet
“Yes, I believe high-speed Internet should be considered a basic human right. It’s the foundation for almost everything: education, jobs, healthcare, even how we interact with government services. The digital divide has become both an economic and social divide, and that gap keeps widening.
Working in the technology sector, I see the Internet as essential infrastructure, no different from electricity or clean water in its impact on opportunity and growth. Calling it a human right doesn’t imply giving it away for free. It reflects the understanding that everyone deserves a fair chance to take part in today’s connected world, and that both governments and companies share the responsibility to make that possible.”
Dewi Gale, Founder of Fittux.com
“It’s definitely an over exaggeration, but the internet is something many of us just can’t live without. It’s more than just a tool. It provides free education to millions, helps us solve problems, and genuinely makes life easier.
High-speed Internet isn’t a luxury anymore; it’s a foundation of opportunity. From remote learning to job applications and healthcare access, everything depends on fast, reliable connectivity. When that’s missing, entire communities are left in the dark.
As the founder of Fittux.com, a UK-based fitness and lifestyle brand built entirely online, I’ve seen firsthand how vital connectivity is — not just for business growth, but for giving people access to products, information, and inspiration that improve their everyday lives.
In today’s world, the Internet is a gateway to knowledge, creativity, and entrepreneurship. To deny access to high-speed Internet is to deny people the tools to progress. It should be treated as a basic human right — a modern necessity that empowers everyone, regardless of income or location.”
Deepak Shukla, CEO of Pearl Lemon Web
“The Internet is how we study, earn a living, talk to loved ones, even book a doctor’s appointment. So yes, I’d say high-speed internet should count as a basic human right. When people don’t have access, they’re cut off from opportunities that most of us take for granted like school, jobs, simple day-to-day stuff.
But saying it’s a right isn’t just a nice idea on paper. It means governments and service providers actually have to step up. Too many rural and low-income communities still deal with slow speeds or patchy coverage. That gap keeps growing. Affordable and reliable access should be the standard.
If we’re serious about building a fair digital world, then internet access has to be universal. Everyone deserves the chance to stay connected and move forward, no matter their postcode or paycheck.”
Steven Athwal, CEO and Founder of The Big Phone Store
“High-speed internet absolutely should be treated as a basic human right. In today’s world, access to the internet isn’t a luxury — it’s infrastructure. It’s how people learn, work, access healthcare, apply for jobs, stay informed, and connect with family. If you’re cut off from it, you’re effectively excluded from modern society.
We wouldn’t question whether electricity or clean water are basic needs. In the 21st century, access to technology falls under that umbrella, as was made clear by this past pandemic. Students who didn’t have access to internet connectivity suffered as a result in school. People who couldn’t get to work with internet access couldn’t work at all.
Affordability and accessibility are where the true problem lies. Rural communities or low-cost consumers are being left with second-class access as most of the world upgrades to fibre and 5G. This isn’t a technology gap, this is a policy gap that needs to be addressed so that fast internet access isn’t a luxury but a necessity.
If connectivity equals opportunity, it’s no longer optional. It’s a right, and ensuring that this right is how we create a fairer, more connected world.”
Caleb John, Director of Exceed Plumbing
“I am the owner of a licensed residential plumbing and gas business, which is open 24/7, so I know how crucial it has become to use reliable internet for modern work and safety. High-speed internet should be a basic human right because almost every trade and service is now dependent on it. My team utilises digital systems for scheduling, payments, and communication, without fast connections, efficiency drops and clients are left waiting.
During emergency job calls for plumbing or gas leaks, we use cloud-based software to distribute jobs on the fly. Slow or unstable internet equals slower response times and in this industry, minutes are a big deal. Access to high-speed internet also ensures that small businesses such as mine are competitive against larger businesses with more resources. It ensures that location or income does not act to limit a person’s ability to work, learn or access emergency services.
Reliable connectivity is no longer a luxury, it is an infrastructure necessity, right along with power and water. When access to a household or business is lost, operations and safety every day are threatened. Equal internet access keeps communities working and ensures that all people have the opportunity to participate fully in the modern economy.”
Steven Bahbah, Managing Director at Service First Plumbing
“High-speed internet is also a fundamental human right that should be considered as it forms the baseline to access to education, health services and employment. Online scheduling and digital training in the plumbing industry have made the industry more efficient by almost 40 percent, although not all areas have been attached to these applications.
The gap between online and offline households reflects the larger disparity in income and the broader disparity in opportunities and that disparity increases with time. Students who are unable to attend virtual classrooms and small companies unable to process digital invoices become excluded, not on a circumstantial basis. The acknowledgment of connectivity as a right would bring it beyond the privileged status to the level of necessity and compel infrastructure investment to be driven by actual human need and not profit.
Universal service funds would enable governments to reduce costs and leave the quality of services to the competition of the private sector. The long term payoff is quantifiable: each 10 percent of broadband penetration will contribute approximately 1 percent to GDP. An integrated population will result in more robust local economies, quicker systems of responding in emergencies, and equitable access to communal life. The availability of quality high-speed internet can be recognised as a complete membership of the modern society and should consequently be provided.”
Niels Brabandt, Owner and Founder of NB Networks
“High-speed Internet access is no longer a luxury, it is a prerequisite for participation in modern society. In my view, it should indeed be recognised as a basic human right. Without reliable connectivity, individuals are effectively excluded from education, employment, healthcare, and civic engagement.
As leadership and work become increasingly digital, the divide between those who have access and those who do not grows wider, not only economically but socially and democratically.
“A lack of digital access today equals a lack of opportunity tomorrow.”
Governments and institutions must therefore view broadband infrastructure as essential public infrastructure, comparable to electricity or clean water.
“The 21st-century economy is built on data and connectivity; denying people access to it is denying them the ability to compete.”
At the same time, this right must come with responsibility. Fair regulation, sustainable investment, and digital education are key. Ensuring access is only meaningful if people can use it safely and productively.
“We must redefine equality for the digital age, not by lowering standards, but by ensuring everyone can rise to meet them.”
Ryan McCallister, President and Founder of F5 Mortgage
“I think high speed internet is everyone’s right. People need constant connections available to them or become very fast behind. I have too often seen students sit outside of buildings at night, waiting to upload assignments while their fellow students have gone home to finish theirs and go about their lives. I have seen workers this way too as job opportunities are lost due to their application portals freezing, video calls freezing. These are losses that are changing. These are not struggles that are volunteered for but insidiously placed upon them by the invisible line that separates plugged in people from the otherwise locked out.
This ties in how internet access dictates how fast someone can respond, learn, give their voice to the world. People who do not have a good line experience slower waits for the medical portals and for knowing about what is happening in their community.
In the end, high speed internet is what ensures that the individual is able to fully participate in the present day, at full speed. The avoidance of this as a right further entrenches inequality and denies people the opportunity to attain equality for themselves.”
Jason Vaught, Director of Content & Marketing at SmashBrand
“High-speed internet should be a basic human right because it has become essential for living and working. People need it to learn, find jobs, run businesses, and communicate. In the CPG world, where I work, internet access drives every part of the process from product research to online sales. Without a fast and stable connection, people and companies fall behind. It limits growth, learning, and opportunity. Internet access today is no different from electricity or clean water. Everyone needs it to participate in modern life, and treating it as optional creates inequality that slows progress for entire communities.
Real examples show why these matters. Finland made broadband a legal right in 2010 so every citizen could connect to the online world. South Korea built one of the strongest national internet systems, helping its economy thrive through technology and education. United States, Chattanooga, Tennessee, created a city-wide fibre network that provides fast internet to residents and businesses, attracting new companies and improving education. These cases prove that access to high-speed internet improves life quality, supports growth, and gives people a fair chance to succeed in a connected world.”
