• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Ihof Logo Header 182px 67px
Search DropdownSearch Icon2023 Awards
  • About
    • Advisory Board
    • 2023 Induction Ceremony
    • Previous Events
  • Inductees
  • News
    • Blog
    • Announcements
  • 2023 Awards
Home / Inductees in the News / Tim Berners-Lee on the Future of the Web
5 January 2018

Tim Berners-Lee on the Future of the Web

Sir Tim Berners-Lee’s optimism about the future of the web is fading. 

The inventor of the World Wide Web, Berners-Lee has said that he views the Internet as an open platform of ideas that reflects society as a whole – the good, the bad and the ugly.  

The Guardian logo.

However, between his creation being used more frequently to spread misinformation and the recent efforts by the United States’ Federal Communications Commission to rollback net neutrality, Berners-Lee recently told The Guardian that his hopes for the Internet to be used as a force for good have taken a hit lately. 

“I’m still an optimist, but an optimist standing at the top of the hill with a nasty storm blowing in my face, hanging on to a fence,” said the British computer scientist.

“We have to grit our teeth and hang on to the fence and not take it for granted that the web will lead us to wonderful things.”

Earlier this year, Berners-Lee wrote a column in the same publication, lamenting the web’s widespread collection of personal data, the ease with which incorrect information is rapidly disseminated and the lack of transparency and oversight when it comes to political ads.

Related Posts

13 September 2018

Wikipedia: Representing the Internet’s Best

Read More about Wikipedia: Representing the Internet’s Best

28 February 2018

Reflections on John Perry Barlow’s Legacy

Read More about Reflections on John Perry Barlow’s Legacy

4 May 2018

APNIC Partners On Experiment to Improve DNS

Read More about APNIC Partners On Experiment to Improve DNS

21 October 2018

How to Prevent Malicious Domains with a Little ‘Cooling Off’

Read More about How to Prevent Malicious Domains with a Little ‘Cooling Off’

Footer

Facebook F 1
Twitter 1
Youtube 1
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact Us

The Internet Hall of Fame is presented by:

Internet Society 76x25

USA

11710 Plaza America Drive
Suite 400
Reston, VA 20190
+1-703-439-2120

Switzerland

Rue Vallin 2
CH-1201 Geneva
+41-22-807-1444

Other Offices

© 2023 Internet Society