Michelle Obama says Internet access should be 'universal right'

Michelle Obama declared that access to the Internet should be a universal right, in a rare and controversial foray into the world of international politics during a cultural visit to China.

The US first lady risked upsetting her hosts in Beijing by declaring access to information as a birthright. During a speech at Peking University's Stanford Center, she called for greater freedoms while refraining from a direct attack on the controls over information in China. The so-called "great firewall of China" blocks access to Internet sites deemed sensitive, while a vast censorship machine swiftly deletes content considered objectionable. Twitter and Facebook are both blocked. Obama told a crowd of about 200 students, most of whom were from the US: "It is so important for information and ideas to flow freely over the Internet and through the media. My husband and I are on the receiving end of plenty of questioning and criticism from our media and our fellow citizens, and it's not always easy. But I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world." She added: "When it comes to expressing yourself freely, and worshipping as you choose, and having open access to information – we believe those are universal rights that are the birthright of every person on this planet."