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Hello sir, are you hiring and may I have an application? "We're always hiring, but all applications are done online at whateverwebsite.com"

Excuse me sir, I'm here to pay my bill.. "paying offline is subject to a $5 convenience fee per transaction, or by phone for a $10 fee."

I'd like a library card please. "Yes, you or your parent may go online to our website publiclibrary.org and we'll send you one soon after."

Ok class, you need to write a five page report on History, please use the websites provided for the information... today teachers are stumped by the few and far between students that say they don't have this capability at home.

We need the internet, it's a fundamental part of society today, it's going to become even more necessary in the future as more and more data driven jobs are online and telecommuted and more and more of our jobs become robot based. It's a necessary human right at this point and politicians need to wake up and see the fricking future before they have no voters left. I'm looking at you ever greying GOP who have managed to turn off your youngest of voters and are getting fewer new ones.

Ugh, "not a necessity", my ass. Unless you plan to live off the grid, and if you plan for most people to stay lower class, you need the internet. We've incorporated it into too many businesses and products with the assumption that most people have access to it.

It is important to note that Internet access is not a necessity in the day-to-day lives of Americans

Clearly, he's never worked in an office when the Internet goes down. Or Googled something he needed/wanted to know, ever.

Yes, you will not literally die without the Internet, but it's not the internet itself that is an necessity. The internet is just another way to connect to people. Just try having small talk about things without having been on the Internet for just a week. It won't be long into you realize there's a lag in your cultural awareness. Because the internet's a thing that allows for rapid-fire spread of ideas and stories.

If we inserted Maslow's hierarchy of needs into this argument, I betcha we could fit the Internet along with cell phones in the "love/belonging" category.

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This is probably just my paranoia speaking; but those that try and stifle internet usage growth are usually trying to hide something that will soon be exposed, or are afraid of the power they will lose when it makes their jobs obsolete. If people couldn't see the internet as freely as we do today, would we know that Mr O'Rielly made these comments? Probably, most probably 2 days later if your news broadcaster thinks that this sort of news won't hurt them in some way.

His definition of "rights" do not match the real world. His notion that some entity can forbid a individual from leading a productive life is absurd. Examples of his "not a necessity or human right" would be radio, gasoline, electricity, water, having a private conversation, etc. The basic human right is derived from the principle of free markets and Natural Law. An individual is free to do whatever he damm well pleases as long as it does not harm, defraud or coerce another individual. We are free to live our lives as free individuals to become whatever we desire without intervention (for our own good). Natural Law is the cornerstone for Freedom! Without freedom, we are slaves. Failure to rebut me without first reading (listening) to the attached files would be just as absurd as the FCC's comments. Free Audiobook http://freekeene.com/2007/12/26/free-audiobook-the-market-for-liberty/ PDF https://mises.org/library/market-liberty-1

Instead, the term “necessity” should be reserved to those items that humans cannot live without, such as food, shelter, and water.

I agree with this.

Republican? Check.

Completely out of touch with reality? Check.

My work is done here.

Then what is a necessity? Sure, we could live with just food, water, and a roof over our heads but I sure as shit don't see anybody wanting to do that.