From yesterday’s Network World: Venice provides free Internet access to newborns
Venice will become the first city in the world to provide newborn residents with free Internet access, a spokeswoman for the city council said Friday.
Newborns will receive a user ID and password entitling them to free Internet access at the same time as they get their birth certificate, the spokeswoman said.
“The resident’s new digital identity will give free access to the Web, because we consider that’s an important universal right,” said Michele Vianello, Venice’s deputy mayor, who has responsibility for automation processes.
“Free access to the Internet is an important universal right!” Who knew?
But, what if the newborn is adopted? Will their user IDs and passwords be confiscated by the government along with their original birth certificates? Will they get new government-issued fake IDs and passwords? Will fake IDs and passwords be accepted by cranky websites or will a “you are not authorized to access this site” beam back at them? What about babies born under Italy’s traditional anonymous hospital birth under X scheme or spun into the country’s growing high-tech ruota movement (here, and here)? Will they have the right to Internet access or will they be dependent on the old humiliating standbys of phone, mail, libraries, and brick and mortar, for communication, research and shopping? No Facebook for you, bastard!
US adoptee rights activists need to jump on this right away. The right to Internet access and digital identity should the adopted (sorry!) immediately into the policy platforms of Bastard Nation and all other adoption reform organizations.
Bastards! Get your states to pass laws similar to what the Venice City Council did! Now! Leave no one behind! Make your laws retroactive. Once we’ve institutionalized the right of all, without restriction, to Internet access and digital identity, the right to our records access and identity will fall in place. Why didn’t we think of this before?
Yo Marley, great post! Keep up the good work and outrageous sense of humor–and outrage.
lorraine d from firstmotherforum.com
AdoptionLand is the Theatre of the Absurd. Albee knows that, of course. There is way too much to write about and not enough time. I’m working on 2-4 other blogs right now . I don’t have time to do anything else anymore! BTW, I love reading your work. You make me feel like I’m back in New York.
“From the ridiculous to the sublime…..” How about, instead of Internet, the USA starts giving everyone the right to be in their own family with their own identities? What a concept!