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Germany Tells Us What We Already Knew, The Internet Is Essential

by Jill Pantozzi | 4:16 pm, January 25th, 2013


Because, like, you might not survive if you can’t look at things like this. According to a new ruling in Germany, that is. 

A federal judge in Germany says the internet is “essential,” just like heat or electricity, for human beings. As a result of the ruling, a man has been compensated for losing service for two months a few years ago.

Reuters writes, “Under German law the loss of use of essential material items can be compensated.”

“The Internet plays a very important role today and affects the private life of an individual in very decisive ways. Therefore loss of use of the Internet is comparable to the loss of use of a car,” a court spokeswoman told Germany’s ARD television.

The man had also lost his faxing service from the same company but the court did not compensate him for that saying it was “irrelevant” when compared to email. He asked for $67 per month but was granted $27.

(via The Daily Dot, image via Sharp Writer)

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  • http://www.facebook.com/lisa.m.wehner Lisa Wehner

    And there it is, the first time I feel proud to be German.

  • http://www.zeitzeugin.net/ Zeitzeugin

    The first time? Wui ;)
    (in my opinion, you can’t be proud of your nationality. I mean: why and how? That’s nothing you’ve DONE. I’m German too, btw., and I LOVE living here, but I’m not proud ;) )

    Oh and yes, the Internet is definitely essential! :D

  • RMCoyote

    Well, can we say we are proud of our kids when they do something awesome? Our relatives? I might have nothing to do with my cousin’s art talent, but I am proud of what he does and I am proud to be related to him.

    I see nationality kinda like that. I’m proud to be American because of a shared culture and it’s shared effects, shared laws and customs, shared language and politics that we have to deal with. I’m proud of my contribution to my Nation, and when I see other people contributing in awesome ways I am proud of them too and proud that they came from the same “family” I did, so to speak.

  • Arno Mayer

    Being uneasy about taking pride in ones nationality is a very German concept… Not as common as http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Currywurst but more widespread than good old disciplin.

    Most people who aren’t proud of their nationality are usually very proud not be proud. So I guess there’s enough pride for everyone.

    Normally I feel this discussion is awkward and misguided at best, but reading about it here I feel right at home. ;)

  • Anonymous

    German court declares Internet to be essential.
    No decision made yet on scheisse videos, Heino, and basic human dignity and rights for all citizens.

  • Anonymous
  • http://www.zeitzeugin.net/ Zeitzeugin

    I’m proud of them but I’m not proud to be their friend or relative.
    When it comes to nationality, some people are too proud. But that’s just my opinion. .

    (Well and actually I am “proud” of Germany because Germany has done well in the last years.)

  • Anonymous

    “basic human dignity and rights for all citizens.”
    They’re pivotal in the EU, which has a very full set of laws regarding human dignity and rights (certainly better than, for instance, the US)

  • Anonymous

    In case people don’t think this ruling is important they should check out France where politicians backed by major corporations are pushing for legislation that would deny a person convicted of illegal file downloading the right to internet. So yes – this IS something to be proud of, and grateful for!

    (Also, I’m reminded by a line some comedian once said – can’t remeber who. Went something like this: The Austrians are amazing, they’ve managed to convice the world and themselves that Mozart was Austrian and Hitler was German…)

  • http://twitter.com/Super_Widget Joanna

    It has gotten to that point where we can’t live without the internet…which is kinda frightening. Whenever the internet goes down for any reason I’m like “…I suppose I’ll…read a book or something….”

  • Anonymous

    So you’re gonna ignore the other two and pretend I was serious, huh?

  • Prinny

    I can’t speak for Germany, but the internet most certainly is essential in America. I’ve walked into many stores (big chains) that insist you apply for a job over the internet. I think a car is analogous; you don’t need it to live, but you do need it to function in our society and earn the things you need to live.

    This becomes a little disturbing when you take into account that one in five American households doesn’t have the internet.

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