The Internet, is it a privilege or a necessity?

The Internet, is it a privilege or a necessity?

Dyson contends that there is an unequal access to computers because the computer and software industries are being forced to “upgrade their products constantly and new products remain out of the reach of the poor.” (Dyson, 1997) Barbour’s article simply states, “once we allow technology to define the good life, we have excluded many important human values from consideration.” (Barbour, 1993)

The Internet, is it a privilege or a necessity?

For my generation, the internet is a privilege because when I was younger, I did not have access to a computer or internet. For today’s generation, the internet is more of a necessity. It is necessary not only for researching and gathering information, but for applying for jobs as well as becoming an immeasurably powerful computing system.

In order to succeed in school, superintendents are implementing the idea of having the internet being readily available to all students. Darryl Adams, superintendent of schools in Coachella Valley in California wants everyone to have an iPad, he wants to individualize and personalize education for all of his students.

Some 80 percent of kids in his district live in poverty, Adams says. He sees the tablet plan as a civil rights issue, noting that the bond measure passed with nearly 70 percent support. Some of our families live in trailer home parks. Some are migrant farmers," he says. "But they're putting money on the line for each other, and that's a true indication the community cares about each other. (Westervelt, 2013)

This goes along with the idea that Barbour and Dyson have regarding freedom and social justice relating to the technology of the internet. The potential that this iPad technology h...

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...ights After GPS Leads Motor Home To Oregon Back Road. Retrieved 11 29, 2013, from CBS Los Angeles: http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2013/09/30/couple-stuck-in-mud-for-2-nights-after-gps-leads-motor-home-to-oregon-back-road/

Dyson, F. (1997, 11 5). Technology and Social Justice. Retrieved 11 25, 2013, from Carnegie Council on Ethics and International Affairs: http://www.carnegiecouncil.org/publications/archive/nizer_lectures/004.html/_res/id=sa_File1/4th%20Nizer%20Lecture%20-%20entire%20PDF.pdf

Westervelt, E. (2013, 10 25). A School's iPad Initiative Brings Optimism And Skepticism. Retrieved 11 29, 2013, from NPR All Tech Considered: http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/10/25/240731070/a-schools-ipad-initiative-brings-optimism-and-skepticism

Winston, M., & Edelbach, R. (2014). Society, Ethics, and Technology 5th Edition. Boston: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.