This has led to a proposal for the adoption of seven principles that must be understood and respected if the Internet is to evolve in an acceptable manner. The Net links us all together. The nature of people and their use of networking technology provides a strong natural drive towards universal interconnection. The Net must be open and available to all. The Net should be available to all who wish to use it, regardless of economic, social, political, linguistic, or cultural differences or abilities.
Net users have the right to communicate.
Every use of the Net is inherently an exercise of freedom of speech, to be restricted only at great peril to human liberty. The right to communicate includes the right to participate in communication through interacting, organising, petitioning, mobilising, assembling, collaborating, buying and selling, sharing, and publishing. Net users have the right to privacy. Without assurances of appropriate privacy, users of the Net will not communicate and participate in a meaningful manner. People are the Net's stewards, not its owners.