Tim Berners-Lee, a British engineer credited with having invented the World Wide Web in 1989, has released an ambitious plan detailing steps for better online governance, addressing problems like misinformation, data surveillance and censorship.

The Contract for the Web was created by Berners-Lee's World Wide Web Foundation in cooperation with representatives from governments, companies and civil society to "keep knowledge freely available," while strengthening laws, regulations and companies "to ensure pursuit of profit is not at the expense of human rights and democracy."

"If we don't act now — and act together — to prevent the web being misused by those who want to exploit, divide and undermine, we are at risk of squandering" its potential for good, Berners-Lee said in a statement released by the WWW Foundation on Monday.

Read more: Who gets to participate in the online revolution?

Support from Germany

The plan is backed by more than 150 organizations, including internet giants like Google, Microsoft and Facebook, along with interest groups like Reporters Without Borders. The governments of Germany and France have also indicated their support for the plan.

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Fighting for the internet: Social media, governments and tech companies Social media law After a public debate in Germany, a new law on social media came into effect in October. The legislation imposes heavy fines on social media companies, such as Facebook, for failing to take down posts containing hate speech. Facebook and other social media companies have complained about the law, saying that harsh rules might lead to unnecessary censorship.

Fighting for the internet: Social media, governments and tech companies Right to be forgotten In 2014, the European Court of Justice ruled that European citizens had the right to request search engines, such as Google and Bing, remove "inaccurate, inadequate, irrelevant or excessive" search results linked to their name. Although Google has complied with the ruling, it has done so reluctantly, warning that it could make the internet as "free as the world's least free place."

Fighting for the internet: Social media, governments and tech companies Blanket ban In May 2017, Ukraine imposed sanctions on Russian social media platforms and web services. The blanket ban affected millions of Ukrainian citizens, many of whom were anxious about their data. The move prompted young Ukrainians to protest on the streets, calling for the government to reinstate access to platforms that included VKontakte (VK), Russia's largest social network.

Fighting for the internet: Social media, governments and tech companies Safe Harbor In 2015, the European Court of Justice ruled that Safe Harbor, a 15-year-old pact between the US and EU that allowed the transfer of personal data without prior approval, was effectively invalid. Austrian law student Max Schrems launched the legal proceedings against Facebook in response to revelations made by former US National Security Agency (NSA) contractor, Edward Snowden.

Fighting for the internet: Social media, governments and tech companies Regulation In China, the use of social media is highly regulated by the government. Beijing has effectively blocked access to thousands of websites and platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. Instead, China offers its citizens access to local social media platforms, such as Weibo and WeChat, which boast hundreds of millions of monthly users.

Fighting for the internet: Social media, governments and tech companies Twitter bans Russia-linked accounts Many politicians and media outlets blame Russia's influence for Donald Trump's election victory in 2016. Moscow reportedly used Facebook, Twitter, Google, and Instagram to shape public opinion on key issues. In October 2017, Twitter suspended over 2,750 accounts due to alleged Russian propaganda. The platform also banned ads from RT (formerly Russia Today) and the Sputnik news agency.

Fighting for the internet: Social media, governments and tech companies Facebook announces propaganda-linked tool With social media under pressure for allowing alleged Russian meddling, Facebook announced a new project to combat such efforts in November 2017. The upcoming page will give users a chance to check if they "liked" or followed an alleged propaganda account on Facebook or Instagram. Meanwhile, Facebook has come under fire for not protecting user data in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal. Author: Lewis Sanders IV (dj)



"I will stand up for the preservation of the free internet that we have grown to know and love in recent decades," German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said in a statement released ahead of the UN Internet Governance Forum, being held this week in Berlin. Berners-Lee is due to speak at the forum on Monday.

Although the contract is not legally binding, it proposes frameworks for national laws that would protect online privacy and personal data.

The WWW Foundation criticizes current laws and institutions that it says fall short of protecting citizens and preventing the abuse of the technology in society, business and politics.

'Tipping point' for the internet?

"The web needs radical intervention from all those who have power over its future," Berners-Lee wrote in a statement published Sunday night by the The New York Times.

"We're at a tipping point. How we respond to this abuse will determine whether the web lives up to its potential as a global force for good or leads us into a digital dystopia."

Berners-Lee also defended including Google and Facebook in composing the Contract for the Web. The companies have faced criticism from civil society for their data-collecting business models, and sensation-rewarding algorithms have been blamed for spreading misinformation and violating user data privacy.

Last week, Amnesty International said the companies' business models were a "threat to human rights."

"Having them in the room is really important," Berners-Lee said. "We feel that companies and governments deserve equal seats at the table.

"Citizens must hold those in power accountable, demand their digital rights be respected and help foster healthy conversation online."

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