TMCnet News
Saturday: Reply: Letters and emails: A web safe, sound and fit for purpose(Guardian (UK) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Tim Berners-Lee's call for "a global constitution - a bill of rights" to protect users of the world wide web is both timely and necessary (Report, 12 March). Until recently, he has (rightly) remained largely silent about the web's evolution, its content and applications. However, increased levels of surveillance of citizens by US and British spy agencies, their undermining of security and encryption tools, together with growing government and corporate influence on the web's character and content, have prompted his proposal. Hopefully, an "open neutral internet" with a "common statement of principles . . . supported by public institutions, governments and corporations" will no longer tolerate the existence of harmful websites and forums which prey upon vulnerable individuals. Berners-Lee expresses concern that "our rights are being infringed more and more on every side and the danger is we get used to it". Time then to "take the web back into our own hands" and ensure that it is safe, sound, and fit for purpose. Stephen Darbyshire Nottingham (c) 2014 Guardian Newspapers Limited. |