When will data become a human right?

I have a belief that health care is a human right. So when all the Obamacare argument was taking place I really had no interest because everyone seems to be missing the mark. All people have the right to be healthy but somehow we have allowed big business to turn what should be automatic into a business venture keeping it from those who barely make a living wage and bankrupting those who do make a good living. 

So what's next?  I recently attended a conference in downtown Chicago and even helped present a session. This is an event designed for the exchange of ideas and collaboration with colleagues. A perfect place for the Internet to flow freely to enable this task. This is where our future is heading. To compete and to learn you must be connected. Many institutions are realizing this. There are stories popping up of school districts parking school buses with access points on them in neighborhoods that lack internet access. The idea is that they need to make sure all their students can keep up, regardless of their neighborhood.

At this conference you had to pay for Internet service. Even as presenters we had to pay to present ideas. Think about the world we live in. Information is now literally at our fingertips and the data rate competitions are on in full force.  Will we soon be fighting the same battles that we have over healthcare?  I realize that if people had to choose between being healthy and shopping online they would choose health (let's hope). But, could we get out in front of this before the large corporations play the same story out again?  When will we look ahead and see that data will be the next human right that is monetized and kept from the masses?

Think about what the internet is doing for us.  We use it to learn, to exchange ideas, to shop, maintain records digitally, entertainment, instant news access, and just the simple shrinking of the planet in general.  The game of life is changing and at some point we have to be the ones to demand this technological gift be a right of all people to have access to.  We need to prevent it from becoming yet another aspect of life that divides the haves form the have nots.  As a school administrator I have seen first hand the benefits of a free flow of information to students who want to learn and also need to be able to function in this transforming society that is rooted in data access.  I say now is the time to ensure access for all.

http://hechingerreport.org/kids-no-internet-home-parking-wifi-enabled-school-bus-near-trailer-park/