Overview
I first envisioned the world wide web at 34, sharing my ideas fervently in meetings and even sketching them in snow during leisure walks. My time at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (Cern) was pivotal, where my initial pitches were met with skepticism, deemed “a little eccentric.” However, my determination led to the merging of internet and hypertext technologies, allowing ordinary documents to come alive through “links.”
Why It Matters
I strongly believed that simplifying internet navigation could unleash global creativity and collaboration. The web had the potential to contain everything, but for that to happen, everyone needed access, and it couldn’t come with a price tag. In 1993, I persuaded my Cern managers to donate the intellectual property of the web, placing it in the public domain. We effectively gave away the web to everyone.
Reflecting on this now, I must ask: is the web still free? Unfortunately, the answer is no. Today, we see major platforms collecting users’ private data, sharing it with commercial brokers and even oppressive regimes. Algorithms designed to be addictive can harm our teenagers’ mental health. Trading personal data contradicts my vision of a free web.
Reclaiming Your Data
More troubling is the idea that users are no longer customers; we have become products. Our anonymized data is sold to third parties who target us with content and advertisements, sometimes harmful, contributing to violence and misinformation. However, technology exists to restore individual control. Solid, developed by my team at MIT over a decade ago, is an open-source standard allowing users to maintain their data ownership. Apps must request permission to access data, putting users in control.
Smart data sharing can further liberate our information. Why do wearables, financial data, and social media comments reside in different silos? You, as the creator of that data—your actions, choices, and preferences—have the right to own and control it.
Learning from the Past
In moving from my original web vision to the complexities of AI today, we find ourselves at a crucial juncture. We must avoid the mistakes made with social media governance. Policymakers can’t afford to play catch-up again. Urgent action is needed to establish governance frameworks for AI, a vital step I’ve been advocating since writing about an AI named Charlie in 2017. Charlie would function under strict regulations, similar to a doctor or lawyer. We need such protections to prevent data monopolies from dominating AI as well.
Moving Forward
A significant challenge in contemporary democracy is the slow response of governments to the needs of digital citizens. The fiercely competitive AI industry is often driven by corporate interests, which doesn’t inherently benefit individuals. Cern, where I coded the web, was established for international collaboration. We need a similar, not-for-profit organization dedicate to advancing global AI research.
My goal in giving the web away was to ensure it worked for everyone. This remains as essential today as ever. While global governance and regulation are feasible, they depend on political will. If we can muster that will, we can restore the web as a tool for creativity, compassion, and collaboration across borders, re-empowering individuals and reclaiming the web. It’s not too late.
Tim Berners-Lee is the author of This Is for Everyone (Macmillan).
Further Reading
The Innovators by Walter Isaacson (Simon & Schuster, £10.99)
The Web We Weave by Jeff Jarvis (Basic, £25)
The History of the Internet in Byte-Sized Chunks by Chris Stokel-Walker (Michael O’Mara, £12.99)
Final Thoughts
The web has immense potential for creativity and connection, but the current landscape requires us to act urgently to reclaim our data and ensure it serves the common good. Together, we can steer technology toward a more equitable future.
