Tim Berners-Lee, the World Wide Web’s inventor, warns of the internet’s increasing centralisation due to dominant tech platforms. He argues that these platforms, such as Facebook and Google, have amassed so much power that they can control which opinions and ideas are seen and shared. Berners-Lee suggests that a legal or regulatory framework is necessary to prevent misinformation and protect data privacy.
He highlights the threat of political advertising, which he believes is being used as a weapon, with misinformation spreading like wildfire. The web’s inventor also points out that the complexity of advertising models results in people being used as a product, their personal data harvested and sold.
Berners-Lee proposes a few solutions. He suggests that tech platforms should be more transparent about political advertising and should work towards lessening the spread of misinformation. He also advocates for the simplification of consent procedures for data privacy.
Finally, Berners-Lee calls for the creation of a regulatory or legal framework that would hold these platforms accountable. He believes that the web has evolved into an engine of inequality and division, and it’s time to get it back on track.
Go to source article: https://venturebeat.com/2018/03/12/tim-berners-lee-we-need-a-legal-or-regulatory-framework-to-save-the-web-from-dominant-tech-platforms/