Four in five people feel Internet access should be 'a fundamental right'

London, March 8 : Almost four in five people feel that access to the World Wide Web is a fundamental right, according to a survey.

The poll for the BBC World Service, which quizzed more than 27,000 adults across 26 countries, found that 87 per cent of browsers believed Internet access should be the "fundamental right of all people".

The survey also found significant number of supporters in favour of net access on both sides of the virtual divide, with those in South Korea forming the majority (96 per cent) in supporting the idea, the BBC reported.

Nearly three-quarters of respondents in Japan, Mexico and Russia confessed they could not deal without the virtual world.

The dangers of the online world, such as fraud, the ease of access to violent and explicit content and privacy worries, were amongst the most concerning aspects for those questioned.

A majority of users in Japan, South Korea and Germany also said they were afraid to express their opinions safely online, while those in Nigeria, India and Ghana were much more confident about speaking out.