Sir Tim Berners-Lee believes that there should be an Internet Users Bill of Rights, allowing users to stand up for a free, open and global internet.
The creator of the internet has marked the 25th anniversary with a call for an Internet Users Bill of Rights using a new campaign called Web We Want.
“It’s time for us to make a big communal decision,” said Sir Tim to the BBC. “In front of us are two roads – which way are we going to go?”
“Are we going to set up something like a Magna Carta for the world wide web and say, actually, now it’s so important, so much part of our lives, that it becomes on a level with human rights?”
Berners-Lee has been openly against internet government surveillance since the leaks from Edward Snowden, ex-US intelligence contractor and is now calling on users to take action and make a protest.
“The people of the world have to be constantly aware, constantly looking out of it – constantly making sure through action, protest, that it doesn’t happen.”
The Web We Want campaign aims to draft the Internet Users Bill of Rights for individual countries and then presenting it to the respective governments.
Users are asked to add their names to the mailing list and then join the national dialogue “about the Web that your country wants.”
“From national regulations to an international convention, we can work together to propose the best legislation to protect our rights,” outlines the Web We Want homepage.
Previously, Berners-Lee warned that the democratic nature of the internet will be threatened by government surveillance.
“Right now the U.N. is requesting an investigation into global online surveillance. As more andmore people awaken to threats against our basic rights online, we must start a debate – everywhere – about the web we want. This process is just getting started.”
Read more: Best tablets 2014
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
