Should The Internet Be Eligible For A Nobel Peace Prize?

The Internet is the new hustle. We’ve said that plenty of times on this very site, but in an age where change and hope are more than just slogans used in presidential campaigns, has the time come that the World Wide Web get its just due for changing the world? Let’s discuss after the jump.

The last time the Nobel Peace Prize made it into the news, folks were debating why the prestigious award went to the United States’ first African-American president – Barack Obama. His win was littered with sentiments ranging from “What has he done to win?” to celebrating such an honor. This year trumps last year’s record of nominations. 205 was the amount in 2009, but this year that record is surpassed with 237 individuals and organizations who are nominated.

The Internet looks to join the ranks.

Championed by the Italian version of Wired Magazine, the belief is that the Internet has helped to advance “dialogue, debate, and consensus”. The argument will probably be raised by the Republicans of the world that Obama’s win has opened the flood-gates to let anyone think they have a chance at the coveted prize. The Director of the Nobel Institute, Geir Lundestad, recently told BBC News that the organization had literally received “thousands of nominations”. “Some were nominated by one person, others by 10, others by 100,” he said.

Advocates for the Internet being nominated are 2003 Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi and Nicholas Negroponte — the founder of the $100 laptop project. While folks who wish to nominate others range from former laureates to members of national governments to select university professors — the point remains the same. This is a big prize to have for 2010.

Should the Internet be eligible for a Nobel Peace Prize?

The Internet will be facing fierce competition as Russian human rights activist Svetlana Gannushkina and Chinese activist Liu Xiaobo both are on the short list of names — even though the Norwegian Nobel Committee has the decision on the final list. The five-member panel has since March 9th been able to add their own nominations. “The announcement of this year’s laureate will be made on the 8 October,” Mr. Lundestad said. “The prize amount is very likely be the same as in recent years.” When President Obama was awarded last year’s Nobel Peace Prize — he also earned $1.4 million dollars. No one knows who would accept the prize if the Internet were to win.

Internet For Peace — a program set up to help support the World Wide Web’s nomination — say that if they won the prize it would be “a Nobel for each and every one of us.”

Share your thoughts in the comments section below!