In 1989, the Internet already existed, but it was nothing like today's. The Internet that we use today owes a large part of its appearance to Sir Tim Berners-Lee and its creation, the World Wide Web. Internet traffic began 35 years ago with the work of Berners-Lee, Information Management: A Proposal.
Berners-Lee did not want to change the world. He just wanted to create an easy way to share information at the European Organization for Nuclear Research, commonly known as CERN. His solution was an internet-distributed hypertext system. We know it as the Web.
It took several years to go from an idea on paper to a working system. By 1993, the web was a going concern.
As the posed Berners-Lee in 2024, the web was built with “the intent to enable collaboration, enhance empathy and understanding, and generate creativity”. It was to be a tool for the empowerment of humanity. In its first decade, the web fulfilled that promise, as thousands of small, local communities were created.”
Berners-Lee states: "In the past decade, instead of embodying values, the web has played a role in eroding them." Of course, he attributes this to the "dysfunction caused by the fact that the web is dominated by the self-interest of many companies".
In the early days of the Internet, many new companies were popping up all the time. Today, both the Internet and the stock market are dominated by Meta (Facebook), Amazon, Microsoft, Apple and Alphabet (Google). It's an Internet economy that belongs to the big powers, not small startups.
Berners-Lee recognized – on the 30th anniversary of the creation of the web – that it has become "a public square, a library, a doctor's office, a shop, a school, a design studio, an office, a cinema, a bank and so much more". Unfortunately, he states, "It has also created opportunities for fraudsters, given a voice to those who spread hate, and made it easier to commit all kinds of crime."
The rise of artificiality intelligences (AI) did not help. Berners-Lee even believes that AI has made things worse. "Rapid advances in artificial intelligence have exacerbated these concerns, demonstrating that issues on the web are not isolated, but rather deeply intertwined with emerging technologies."
However, Berners-Lee hopes for something better:
"It would be defeatist and unimaginative to assume that the web as we know it cannot change for the better in the next 30 years."
How; Facing two problems:
The first is the extent of centralization of power, which is at odds with the decentralized spirit I originally envisioned. This has segmented the web, trying to keep users hooked on a platform to optimize profit through passive observation of content. This exploitative business model is especially serious in this election year. This issue is complicated by the secondly, the purchase of personal data which takes advantage of time and the data των ανθρώπων με τη δημιουργία βαθιών προφίλ που επιτρέπουν τη στοχευμένη διαφήμιση και τελικά τον έλεγχο των πληροφοριών που παρέχουν οι άνθρωποι.
But what can we do about it?
Berners-Lee's proposition: “We must break down data silos to encourage collaboration, create market conditions in which a diversity of choices thrives to fuel creativity, and shift from polarizing content to an environment shaped by a diversity of voices and perspectives that foster empathy and understanding.”
Specifically, this can be done by adopting a new paradigm that puts people ahead of business models. This is not just an ideal thought, it has already become a reality. Technologies that serve and empower us all – like the new social networking models Bluesky and Mastodon – don't fuel advertising and business engagement but build communities. GitHub provides online collaboration tools and podcasts that help grow the community.
"The time to act and embrace this transformative potential is now"
Another part of the answer to web reform is the Solid Protocol (Solid Protocol). This specification provides everyone with their own personal online data store (POD from personal online data store). “With Solid,” says Berners-Lee, “individuals decide how their data is managed, used and shared. This approach is already starting to take hold, as seen in Flanders, where every citizen now has their own POD.” The aim of POD is to put us – not companies – in control of our personal data.
Solid is backed by Berners-Lee's company, Inrupt. Under his guidance, the plan is for Solid to enable the Web to include identity management, control access and universal data standards. It will decouple data from corporate-controlled applications so that data can be organized and managed by individuals themselves.
But he knows that's easier said than done.
“It requires support from people who are leading the reform, from researchers, inventors and advocates. We need to amplify and promote these positive use cases and work to change the collective mindset of global citizens. The Web Foundation has and will continue to support and accelerate this emerging σύστημα και τους ανθρώπους πίσω από αυτό. Ωστόσο, υπάρχει επείγουσα ανάγκη να κάνουν και άλλοι το ίδιο, να υποστηρίξουν την ηθικά θαρραλέα ηγεσία που ανεβαίνει, να συλλογικοποιήσουν τις λύσεις τους και να αλλάξουν τον διαδικτυακό κόσμο που υπαγορεύεται από το κέρδος σε κάποιον που είναι υπαγορεύεται από τις ανάγκες της ανθρωπότητας”.
Can techno idealism become reality?
I have my doubts, but we can try. This is what Berners-Lee is after. He transformed the world once, and maybe together, we can transform it another time for the better.
