Hacker News Reader

Water, electricity and sewage are all part of building codes for safety. Internet is not a safety device.

Of course, there is nothing stopping local governments from forcing broadband into new construction... It just isn't on the same level as water / sewer / electricity.

View on HN

Internet is becoming a safety device

It really isn't on the same level as water and sewer (sanitation) and electricity (avoiding need for open flames).

It could be used for safety, but at the individual level, not at the community level.

Do you really even need electricity?

Yup. Emergency lighting in hallways for multi-family housing, plus electric lights within houses.

Zero electricity invites excessive use of open flame, creating fire hazard. It is at least part of why going off-grid is difficult unless you are deep in the country in s state that isn't too hostile to it.

You probably need heating and if not that cooling and those require electricity to function safely or likely at all.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com