ABSTRACT
This chapter explores how the Internet is essential for personal identity and its implications for criminal punishment. For some, online access is integral to their sense of self, making restrictions on it significant in legal contexts. This chapter discusses access to the Internet in the context of the extended mind thesis, which suggests that external artifacts, like smartphones, can be part of our cognitive processes. If we consider the Internet an extension of the self, denying access can have ethical and legal consequences. Also, for the discussion about the right to use/not to use the Internet. The chapter advocates for prisoners’ right to Internet access to maintain their full identity while serving time. The chapter concludes that adopting the extended mind thesis can reshape our understanding of criminal justice and the rights related to technology use, proposing that such philosophical shifts could lead to meaningful changes in legal practices.
