Why internet should be free

“I am usually invited to these talks because I say controversial things, so fasten your seat belts.

“When we were growing up civics was where we were going to, but today and for the past 20 odd years we have not heard parents asking children to get into civics.

Today, we want kids to become businessmen.
 
“I am 72-years old and an image comes from 1964 - an image of cars being called to pick up someone on demand; but when we created that image back then at MIT we did not have GPS.
 
“None of the modern advancements were available back then, but I said it would  happen.

“It is just that it happened so many years later. Today Uber and other similar services have developed.

“Today, I have the audacity to say that I am always right - just that I get the timing wrong. The future is funny.
 
“We were then developing touch sensitive displays and I thought touch displays was fun.

“People wrote and said Negroponte was wrong, some even said if you use your fingers you will get your screen dirty. I knew I was right.

“There is someone right now using a finger on a display.

“Will normal market forces do what I am doing today?

If the answer is yes, then I say ‘stop Nicholas stop’. But they won’t.

“I think the internet should be free. It should be free the same way civic amenities like street lights are free.”

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.