The emergence of the Internet presents enormous opportunities and challenges to humanity. If we act carefully, we can ensure that the Net will be used to change the human condition for the better, and can prevent or mitigate its less desirable consequences. For our global community to reach its potential in this networked world, certain principles must be understood and respected as we consider the more detailed daily questions that arise in the administration or governance of the Net. The Net must be open and available to all. People have the right to communicate.
People have the right to privacy.
People are the Net's stewards, not its owners. No individuals, organizations, or governments should dominate the Net. The Net should reflect human diversity, not homogenize it. The Net is the total of all of these, plus the collective knowledge and experience of a set of communities that have already experienced years of technical and social development and growth. The Internet is a unique conglomeration, with its own modes of interaction, languages of discourse, and cultural expression.