Internet interest in kittens surprises Sir Tim Berners-Lee

Berners-Lee expressed his surprise at people's interest in cute kittens on the internet. Credit: Reuters

The inventor of the World Wide Web has revealed that the subject of "kittens" is the thing that he never thought the internet would be used for as he celebrated the web's 25th anniversary.

In an online Ask Me Anything (AMA) chat on Reddit, Sir Tim Berners-Lee was asked about one of the things he never thought the internet would be used for, but has become one of the main reasons people use it, to which he replied: "Kittens."

Berners-Lee also revealed that the world wide web could easily have been known as "The Information Mine".

One user asked the inventor what names he considered for the web, he replied, "Mine of Information, The Information Mine, The Mesh" although he admitted "none had quite the right ring."

Read: Computer used to create Web goes on display

Sir Tim Berners-Lee said the internet could have been known as 'The Information Mine'. Credit: Reuters

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The 58-year-old said Edward Snowden should be protected after being asked whether the US whistleblower was a hero or a villain.

"I think he should be protected, and we should have ways of protecting people like him," he said.

"Because we can try to design perfect systems of government, and they will never be perfect, and when they fail, then the whistle-blower may be all that saves society."

Sir Tim Berners-Lee speaking to David Cameron earlier this year. Credit: Reuters

Asked where he he thinks the web will "end up in the next 25 years", Sir Tim said: "It is up to us. It is an artificial creation, as are our laws, and our constitutions ... we can choose how they work. We can make new ones. Our choice."