ESSENTIAL INTERNET. A German court rules the Internet is an essential item.

MANILA, Philippines - The status of the Internet as a modern marvel is unarguable, but is the Internet essential? A German court has ruled that it is, according to a report from Reuters.

On Thursday, January 24, the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe, Germany, ruled in favor of a man who was unable to use his DSL connection, which included a telephone and fax line for a two-month period from late 2008 to early 2009.

German law states that essential material items can be compensated. In this case, the man, who had already received compensation for the cost of using a mobile phone, also wanted compensation for being unable to use the Internet.

Of the ruling, a court spokeswoman told Germany's ARD Television, "The Internet plays a very important role today and affects the private life of an individual in very decisive ways."

The spokeswoman added that the "loss of use of the Internet is comparable to the loss of use of a car." - Rappler.com