The Journal of Modern Research on Administrative Law

The Journal of Modern Research on Administrative Law

Philosophical and Legal Foundations of the Right to Free Access to the Internet: From Individual Autonomy to the Right to be wrong

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 PhD in public Law, Faculty of Law University of Tehran, Iran.
2 PhD Student in Public Law, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/mral.2026.2091830.1795
Abstract
This study examines the right to free access to the Internet from the perspectives of freedom, autonomy, and human rationality, and seeks to clarify its relationship with the concept of the “right to err.” It proceeds from the assumption that human beings, as rational and self-governing agents, possess the right to access information and to choose among diverse narratives and viewpoints. From this standpoint, free access to the Internet is not merely a technical or communicative instrument; rather, it constitutes one of the most significant foundations for freedom of thought, the pursuit of truth, and the exercise of individual autonomy in the digital age. The article argues that extensive Internet restrictions and the blocking of certain information sources and communication platforms are often grounded in the presumption that citizens, when exposed to content, may fall into error and therefore must be prevented from accessing such material in advance. However, this approach is incompatible with recognition of human rationality and respect for autonomy, since it deprives individuals of their right to judge, evaluate, choose independently, and instead treats them as in need of guardianship. Moreover, even if free access to information results in mistaken choices, this fact alone cannot justify prior limitations on freedom. The possibility of error is an integral dimension of human liberty and a necessary condition for learning, personal growth, and responsibility. Accordingly, in freedom based systems, the proper response to error is not deprivation of access to information but acceptance of responsibility for one’s actions and choices.
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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 10 August 2026

  • Receive Date 28 June 2026
  • Revise Date 08 August 2026
  • Accept Date 10 August 2026