Do You Have a Legal Right to Internet Access?

Access to the Internet is a legal right — if you live in Finland. As of July 2010, Finland's government has vowed that all its citizens will have access to at least one megabyte per second (Mbps) of broadband access. By 2015, it hopes to guarantee 100 Mbps to all residents.

More Penetrating Internet Facts:

• In July 2010, estimates indicate more than 95 percent of all residents in Finland have one Mbps broadband access or more; it looks like their government may reach its goal.


• In a 2010 survey, 40 percent of US residents said they had no broadband access, and another 30 percent said they had no access at all.


• Worldwide, about 1.8 billion people use the Internet in 2010 — about 26 percent of the total world population. African countries have the lowest percentage of users, with just about 9 percent of the population accessing the Internet, though that reflects an increase of 1,810 percent since 2000.