Crack down on Facebook and Google or risk rogue states ‘weaponising’ internet, says World Wide Web inventor
The inventor wants to take back the web from the tech giants before it's too late
SIR Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the world wide web, is calling for tech giants to be regulated to prevent the internet from being "weaponised at scale".
In an open letter to mark the web's 29th birthday, Berners-Lee warned that "power is concentrated" among just a few companies – including Facebook and Google – whose platforms can be manipulated by nefarious forces.
"In recent years, we’ve seen conspiracy theories trend on social media platforms, fake Twitter and Facebook accounts stoke social tensions, external actors interfere in elections, and criminals steal troves of personal data," he said.
The solution, writes Berners-Lee, is a "legal or regulatory framework" that "accounts for "social objectives".
Facebook, which boasts 2.2. billion users, has come under fire for the proliferation of fake news on its platform.
The social network, along with Google and Twitter, appeared before Congress to answer questions on the extent of Russian meddling in the 2016 US election.
All three companies had admitted that Russian entities bought and circulated ads on their respective platforms aimed at fuelling divisions between US voters.
Now, the country's Federal Election Commission is preparing to push through regulations for greater transparency on political ads on digital platforms.
Berners-Lee accused the web titans of stifling innovation by snapping up startups and controlling which "ideas and opinions are shared and seen".
"The web that many connected to years ago is not what new users will find today," he said.
"What was once a rich selection of blogs and websites has been compressed under the powerful weight of a few dominant platforms."
The open letter coincides with a milestone in the web's history: this year marks the first time that more than half the word's population will be online.
But, Berners-Lee urged there's still more to be done to get everyone connected.
"In 2016, the UN declared internet access a human right, on par with clean water, electricity, shelter and food," said the 62-year-old British computer scientist.
"But until we make internet access affordable for all, billions will continue to be denied this basic right."
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