my *moment of zen*

Last session we had this discussion about whether the internet is a public good or a private good.
I think to answer this question is very demanding. First of all one needs to define what makes a good a public good. Applying this definition to the internet it becomes obvious that the internet does not fit the term "public good". It is excludable and it exists a high level of inequity concerning its use. Of course, here in Germany nearly everyone has access to the internet. But in Third World countries the percentage of people having access to the World Wide Web is very low. Experts claim that the digital divide has never been that stark.
So the question posed should rather be "Will the internet ever be a public good?"
I´d claim that as long as there exist social disparities between the West and the underdeveloped countries there is no chance to make the internet available to everyone. Furthermore, we have to keep in mind that there are countries who might be able to afford the digitilization of their societies but refuse it because of political purposes. Think for example of the Chinese government which blocks certain websites because of their content. So, for me a world with internet access for everyone is comparable to a world where all people live in peace - it is merely a wish.