Tim Berners-Lee Highlights 3 Big Web Challenges

Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, has penned a new blog post that highlights what he sees as the three biggest challenges to the Web: “We’ve lost control of our personal data,” “It’s too easy for misinformation to spread on the Web,” and “Political advertising online needs transparency and understanding.”

In a post marking the 28th anniversary of the birth of the Web, he writes:

“These are complex problems, and the solutions will not be simple. But a few broad paths to progress are already clear. We must work together with web companies to strike a balance that puts a fair level of data control back in the hands of people, including the development of new technology like personal ‘data pods’ if needed and exploring alternative revenue models like subscriptions and micropayments. We must fight against government over-reach in surveillance laws, including through the courts if necessary. We must push back against misinformation by encouraging gatekeepers such as Google and Facebook to continue their efforts to combat the problem, while avoiding the creation of any central bodies to decide what is ‘true’ or not. We need more algorithmic transparency to understand how important decisions that affect our lives are being made, and perhaps a set of common principles to be followed. We urgently need to close the ‘internet blind spot’ in the regulation of political campaigning.”

View article