As the web turns 28, its creator is keen to point out its problems.
Stop right there, fake news — Berners-Lee has a bone to pick.
Web inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee has weighed in on what’s quickly becoming the internet hot potato of the year: the spread of fake news.
Twenty-eight years to the day since he submitted his original proposal for the creation of the World Wide Web, the internet pioneer published an open letter on Sunday describing the problems with the web that are causing him to feel “increasingly worried. ”
It’s not the first time Berners-Lee has weighed in on what he identifies as problems with the glorious monster he created. In the past he’s spoken out against issues including government surveillance, freedom of expression and internet shutdowns.
Right now there are three issues troubling him:
Of these, it’s fake news that’s making headlines around the world at the moment. A problem as old as the internet itself, the debate about the quick spread of fake news rose to prominence following the US presidential election last year.
