A new BBC survey of more than 27,000 adults in 26 countries has found that access to the internet and the web has strong support as a fundamental right. When asked if the internet should be a fundamental right, 50% of respondents strongly agreed and nearly 30% responded with somewhat agree.
 
Dr Hamadoun Toure, secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), is reported to have said,
"The internet is the most powerful potential source of enlightenment ever created." and that "regard the internet as basic infrastructure - just like roads, waste and water".

Many web users across the globe believe that the government should never be involved with internet regulation but a majority of respondents in China believe there is some case for government regulation. Surprisingly 55% of those in the UK believed that there was a case for some government regulation of the internet.
 
Quick Survey Takeaways:
• 87% of internet users felt internet access should be the "fundamental right of all people"
• 90% of those surveyed in Turkey stated that internet access is a fundamental right
• 84% of Japanese respondents said that they could not cope without the internet
• Most of those questioned said that they believed the web had a positive impact
• Fraud is the greatest online cause for concern
• 90% agree the internet is a good place to learn
 
The survey was conducted by GlobeScan for the BBC and the full report can be found on the BBC website