The panel said the United Nations should set a goal of allowing everyone in the world access to a computer and the Internet by 2005, even if they have to walk half a day to hook up with a mobile phone. If nothing is done, poorer nations could be permanently excluded from the Internet revolution, the experts warned. The Internet is a wonderful vehicle for information and communication, and I am all for wiring every school and every public library for access. But I don't think people will suffer or the world will be plunged into a state of crisis unless everyone gets the Internet at home. The fact is, most people now use computers and the Internet for entertainment and convenience.
Kids play video games.
Teenagers chat with friends via instant messaging programs, college students go online to download music, and older adults take advantage of movie listings, efficient shopping, and online banking. That's all great, but the people who lack these advantages are not facing an imperiled future. Not everyone wishes to be converted to the Religion of Technology. It is ridiculous to characterize the Internet as a necessity for survival in the modern age. Computers and Web appliances are now relatively cheap, and free Internet access is available in many areas.