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Tim Berners-Lee Launches Campaign To Save the Web From Abuse (theguardian.com)

Posted by msmash on from the Magna-Carta-for-the-web dept.

Tim Berners-Lee has launched a global campaign to save the web from the destructive effects of abuse and discrimination, political manipulation, and other threats that plague the online world. A report adds: In a talk at the opening of the Web Summit in Lisbon on Monday, the inventor of the web called on governments, companies and individuals to back a new "Contract for the Web" that aims to protect people's rights and freedoms on the internet. The contract outlines central principles that will be built into a full contract and published in May 2019, when half of the world's population will be able to get online. More than 50 organisations have already signed the contract, which is published by Berners-Lee's World Wide Web Foundation alongside a report that calls for urgent action.

"For many years there was a feeling that the wonderful things on the web were going to dominate and we'd have a world with less conflict, more understanding, more and better science, and good democracy," Berners-Lee told the Guardian. "But people have become disillusioned because of all the things they see in the headlines. Humanity connected by technology on the web is functioning in a dystopian way. We have online abuse, prejudice, bias, polarisation, fake news, there are lots of ways in which it is broken. This is a contract to make the web one which serves humanity, science, knowledge and democracy." Under the principles laid out in the document, which Berners-Lee calls a "Magna Carta for the web", governments must ensure that its citizens have access to all of the internet, all of the time, and that their privacy is respected so they can be online "freely, safely and without fear." Berners-Lee, added, "We're at a 50/50 moment for the web. We've created something amazing together, but half the world is still not online, and our online rights and freedoms are at risk. The web has done so much for us, but now we need to stand up #ForTheWeb." You can watch his talk here (skip the first 10 minutes).

9 of 179 comments (clear)

  1. "It" is the people, not the system by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Computers are amplifiers of humanity, be the manifestation stupidity, racism, abuse, meanness, kindness, charity, good-heartedness, etc. You name it. The problem isn't the internet, the problem is certain types of people. PEOPLE use the internet. Berners-Lee means well and that is a good start, but he is hacking at the branches of a tree that we would all like to cut down. The quotes sound like is equating fixing the internet with fixing people. Not gonna happen that way.

  2. free speech or PC speech by liquid_schwartz · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You really can't have both. Don't believe me? Consider how easily some are offended. You have a choice of not trying to offend anyone, a fools errand, or pushing ahead and offending someone. It all sounds good to 'not be a jerk' but how do topics like illegal immigration get honestly discussed in a PC way. That's the trouble with PC efforts, they ignore or try and re-label reality and reality doesn't bend. If an immigrant is here illegally then they are by definition an illegal immigrant. The euphemism of undocumented immigrant is not helpful and just muddies the water. Is stealing theft or merely an undocumented purchase? I'm a fan of not being a jerk but I'm also a fan of honest discussion and not simply seeking to deplatform those you disagree with.

    1. Re:free speech or PC speech by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Saying they should not be here because they are murders, or lazy, needs evidence that they are more so than the currently population.

      Not true at all. Did we prove Mohamad Atta and the other 9/11 hijackers were more violent than the population before they killed 3000? No
      Did many of them overstay visas illegally? Yes

      So you are arguing that 3000+ being killed is acceptable in order to not possibly offend people. We also have Kate Steinle killed by an individual illegal that wouldn't tip their numbers to be generally more violent, but according to your logic her death is acceptable because calling them out might offend someone.

      How about we stop illegal immigration, ALL of it, and allow the ones in that we can be pretty sure are ok. Sorry protecting US citizens offends you.

    2. Re:free speech or PC speech by liquid_schwartz · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I think the discussion needs to be based on truthfulness not inoffensiveness. Saying illegal immigrants should not be here because they are illegal is fine. Saying they should not be here because they are murders, or lazy, needs evidence that they are more so than the currently population. I think we need more evidence based discussion not just people stating random opinions, or give examples, sure there are examples of migrant workers being murders, there are also examples locals as well.

      All the examples of PC speech I can think of are attempts at dodging the truth or smearing someone with negative labels for stating the truth (ie Nazi, racist, etc). If people had the truth on their side in the first place 'PC' wouldn't be needed.

    3. Re:free speech or PC speech by JaredOfEuropa · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I think that, in addition to freedom of speech, the right to offend should be a human right and/or enshrined in our constitutions. Not that it is ever nice to offend, nor good. But it has become so easy to be offended, and that if that becomes the yardstick of free speech, soon we will not be able to say anything. In addition, rules and laws against giving offense are misused to silence opponents, stifle political debates, and enable religious persecution. In many countries, there is freedom of speech with a big fat "except" attached to it, meaning that one should not offend certain sensibilities. And in many, many cases where that rule is actually enforced, it is being misused, not against offense, but against undesirable opinions.

      Give us the right to offend. Not because we want to offend. But to ensure that no one can silence us simply by claiming to be offended.

      --
      If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
    4. Re:free speech or PC speech by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Equally, most of the anti-PC speech I can think of is just attempts to smear and shut people down. Accuse them of calling you a Nazi, call them an SJW, demand your freedom of speech...

      Discussion of anything controversial quickly gets derailed by people wailing "help help I'm being oppressed!" like a Monty Python sketch. They are usually careful to get their argument in before saying "but you can't say that any more" even though they just did.

      Instead of complaining about it, just make your argument. If someone does call you something, tell them why they are wrong.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
  3. Hmm by cascadingstylesheet · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Under the principles laid out in the document, which Berners-Lee calls a "Magna Carta for the web", governments must ensure that its citizens have access to all of the internet, all of the time, and that their privacy is respected so they can be online "freely, safely and without fear."

    Does that include people who get "de-platformed"?

    Yes, I know that wasn't done by government ...but hmm, lookie here:

    Companies will
    Make the internet affordable and accessible to everyone
    So that no one is excluded from using and shaping the web.

    But it seems that the de-platformed are excluded from "shaping" it ...

  4. Re:What does ze mean exactly? by sdinfoserv · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The notion of "hate speech" is nonsensical in a Country with true freedom of speech. There is a difference between speech and promoting criminal acts. Unfortunately, we in the US of given up rational thought and are no longer able to tell the difference.

  5. The right to offend is the right to free speech by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    > "and without fear"

    Is impossible because people are afraid of stupid shit. Specifically they are afraid of other's speech.

    > prejudice, bias, polarisation, fake news,

    Being able to express any/all of those is a freedom. Specifically the Freedom of Speech. Trying to disallow those is oppression and censorship. Freedom of Speech only exists if you are free to be rude, hateful, offensive, lie, spread misinformation, and express unpopular opinions. There are, of course, limits already covered by laws. Slander, inciting violence, fraud and many others. But, fundamentally, if you lack the right to offend you lack the right to free speech.