Web inventor's censorship alert

Tim Berners-Lee the British computer scientist who invented the World Wide Web has warned that "a growing tide of surveillance and censorship" threatens internet democracy.

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World leaders called to act over web access

The head of the World Wide Web Foundation has called on world leaders to take action to make the internet "affordable, accessible and relevant to all groups in society."

Ten years after world leaders committed to harnessing technology to build an inclusive information society, parents in 48% of countries can't use the web to compare school performance and budgets, women in over 60% of countries can't use the web to help them make informed choices about their bodies, and over half the population in developing countries can't use the web at all.

Countries should accelerate action to make the web affordable, accessible and relevant to all groups in society, as they promised at the World Summit on the Information Society in 2003.

– Anne Jellema, CEO of the World Wide Web Foundation

Web inventor warns of growing surveillance

The inventor of the World Wide Web has warned that "a growing tide of surveillance and censorship" threatens the future of democracy.

Sir Tim Berners-Lee, who launched the web on Christmas Day 1990, said bold steps are needed to protect fundamental rights to privacy and freedom of opinion online.

Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the world wide web Credit: Sean Dempsey/PA Wire

More people use the internet and social media to take action and try to expose wrongdoing, the new Web Index Report, a global league table measuring the web’s growth and impact it has on people.

Sir Tim Berners-Lee slams plans to monitor the web

"Some governments are threatened by this, and a growing tide of surveillance and censorship now threatens the future of democracy," Sir Tim said.

"Bold steps are needed now to protect our fundamental rights to privacy and freedom of opinion and association online."

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