Is internet use a right?

A right can be defined as a moral or legal entitlement to something, or to act in some way. A privilege is a right that is granted or available only to specific persons. However, our common understanding of the term “right,” especially in the United States, would preclude us from describing anything granted only to some persons, but not others, as a right. So, I believe it would be more accurate to describe a privilege as and advantage, or possibly as an entitlement. Given these definitions, it is my view that internet use is a privilege, and not a right. However, that is not to say that our rights do not apply to our actions or interactions on the internet.
The rights we have are not granted to us by our government or each other, but in virtue of our existence as humans. In the United States, our rights include, but are not limited to those enumerated the Bill of Rights. I think of internet use in much the same way as I see driving. It is often explained to new drivers that this newfound freedom is not a right, but a privilege. If one abides by the rules and regulations associated with obtaining a driver’s license and operating an automobile, then they are granted the privilege to drive. Internet use is , in fact, much easier to take part in; there is no age limit, there are no licenses or permits to be obtained, and there are fewer laws governing what a person may and may not do while engaged in the act. If driving were a right, the government would be required to provide reliable transportation, money for fuel, roadside assistance, and comprehensive coverage in the case of a accident. Similarly, if internet use were a right, the government would be required to provide computers, reliable internet connections, and technical support.
I believe that many people have come to regard internet use as a right simply due to the level of availability of internet access. Since the internet has become a standard means for carrying out so many actions and processes that were previously performed in person on by phone, it often seems as though the internet has become a necessity, rather than a convenience. But consider the notion that, at one time, the telephone replaced the standard means by which many interpersonal interactions were carried out. For instance, there was a time when purchasing an airline ticket required going to an airport ticket counter or the office of a travel agent. Later, reservations were placed most commonly by phone, and in some cases through automated phone systems. Now, booking airline reservations via the internet seems to be the standard mode of operation for most people. This is just one of many examples of such an evolution. When the preferred method of carrying out a multitude of transactions evolved from in-person to by-telephone, it did not become the responsibility of the government to provide telephone handsets and phone lines to all citizens. In the same, it is not the right of the people to partake in use of the internet.
I am sympathetic to the argument that the government does ensure, however that citizens are granted reasonable access to utilities such telephone service, and may even place sanctions private companies requiring them to provide such access to all people, and therefore they should do the same for the internet. However, this merely ensures access to available services for everyone, not a right to use them. Such laws or sanctions are put in place only to ensure fair opportunity for all.
While I believe that internet use is a privilege, I also believe that that does not mean that one’s rights do not apply to one’s actions and interactions on the internet. For example, one’s right to free speech is not dissolved simply in virtue of the fact that the speech act was made via the internet. Also, though use of the internet is not a right, one’s rights must be protected while on the internet. For example, one’s right to privacy, or one’s right not to be slandered or libeled. To put it as succinctly as possible, I believe that internet use is a privilege, not a right, but rights are absolute and cannot be suspended online. Given this privilege, however, we also have a duty to make responsible use of the internet.