ADVERTISEMENT
  • The Membership Club
  • PT Hausa
  • About Us
  • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
Sunday, February 28, 2021
Premium Times Nigeria
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
Premium Times Nigeria
BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Three reasons I am worried about my creation, WWW – Web inventor

Sir Tim Berners-Lee [Photo credit: News By 2]

Three reasons I am worried about my creation, WWW – Web inventor

byAgency Report
March 12, 2017
3 min read

Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the founder of the World Wide Web, WWW, has expressed concern over three challenges faced by the web.

Mr. Berners-Lee, in a statement obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Sunday in Lagos, listed the issues as loss of control of privacy, misinformation or fake news and transparency in political advertising online.

The inventor, who noted that the web had lived up to its vision in spite of the recurring battle to keep the web open, said that the challenges needed to be addressed quickly.

“Over the past 12 months, I have become increasingly worried about three new trends.

“I believe we must tackle them, in order for the web to fulfil its true potential as a tool which serves all of humanity.”

According to him, the issue of loss of control of personal data occurs as many websites offer free content in exchange for personal data.

He said many people were tricked into allowing their information to be collected by accepting long and confusing terms and conditions in exchange for free services.

“As our data is then held in proprietary silos, out of sight to us, we lose out on the benefits we could realise if we had direct control over such data and chose when and with whom to share it.

“This widespread data collection by companies has made governments to increasingly watch our every move online and to pass extreme laws that trample on our rights to privacy.

RelatedNews

VIDEO: Nigeria to receive COVID-19 vaccines Tuesday – Official

VIDEO: How bandits terrorised Kagara for years before students abduction

VIDEO: What Bawa told Senate about himself

Facebook to invest $1bn in news industry

“In repressive regimes, it is easy to see the harm that can be caused – bloggers can be arrested or killed and political opponents can be monitored.

“But even in countries where we believe governments have citizens’ best interests at heart, watching everyone all the time is simply going too far.

“It creates a chilling effect on free speech and stops the web from being used as a space to explore important topics, like sensitive health issues, sexuality or religion,” Mr. Berners-Lee said.

Dangote adbanner 728x90_2 (1)

The inventor said it was becoming too easy for misinformation to spread on the web.

He explained that most people found news and information on the web through just a handful of social media sites and search engines which made money when people clicked on the links they showed them.

“And, they choose what to show us based on algorithms which learn from our personal data that they are constantly harvesting.

“The net result is that these sites show us content they think we will click on.

“With that, misinformation or ‘fake news’ which is surprising, shocking or designed to appeal to our biases, can spread like wildfire.

“Through the use of data science and armies of bots, those with bad intentions can game the system to spread misinformation for financial or political gain,” Berners-Lee said.

ADVERTISEMENT

He said that the issue of transparency in political advertising online was another trend on the web which was rapidly becoming a sophisticated industry.

“Political campaigns are now building individual adverts targeted directly at users.

”One source suggests that in the 2016 US election, as many as 50,000 variations of adverts were being served every single day on Facebook, a near-impossible situation to monitor.

“There are suggestions that some political adverts in the U.S. and around the world are being used in unethical ways to point voters to fake news sites, for instance, or to keep others away from the polls.

“Targeted advertising allows a campaign to say completely different, possibly conflicting things to different groups; is that democratic?

“These are complex problems and the solutions will not be simple. But a few broad paths to progress are already clear

“We must work together with web companies to strike a balance that puts a fair level of data control back in the hands of people,” he said.

Mr. Berners-Lee emphasised the need to develop new technology like personal ‘data pods’ and to explore alternative revenue models like subscriptions and micropayments.

“People must fight against government over-reach in surveillance laws, including through the courts, if necessary.”

According to him, people must push back against misinformation by encouraging gatekeepers such as Google and Facebook to continue their efforts to combat the problem.

He also said that web users should avoid the creation of any central bodies to decide what was true or not.

“We need more algorithmic transparency to understand how important decisions that affect our lives are being made and, perhaps, a set of common principles to follow.

“We urgently need to close the `internet blind spot’ in the regulation of political campaigning,” Mr. Berners-Lee said.

(NAN)

  • WhatsApp
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
  • Telegram
  • More
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Pocket

Support PREMIUM TIMES' journalism of integrity and credibility

Good journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.

For continued free access to the best investigative journalism in the country we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.

By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all.

Donate


TEXT AD: To advertise here . Call Willie +2347088095401...


JOIN THE CONVERSATION

  • Disqus (0)
premiumtimes



PT Mag Campaign AD

Previous Post

Stories of Pastor Adeboye: An Account of Love, Faith, Fame

Next Post

Wasiu Ayinde K1 under fire over comments on fuji history, Barrister

Agency Report

Agency Report

More News

Johnson & Johnson Medical [PHOTO CREDIT: NPR]

Johnson & Johnson vaccine receives FDA approval

February 28, 2021
Ali Modu Sheriff

I will contest APC chairmanship if zoned to North-east – Modu Sheriff

February 27, 2021
COVID-19 vaccine vials [PHOTO CREDIT: BioWorld]

Which is best COVID-19 vaccine?

February 27, 2021
Former President Goodluck Jonathan

Jonathan bags African peace award

February 27, 2021
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu

2023: ‘Young professionals’ donate N10m for Tinubu presidency

February 26, 2021
A back view of Samuel Akinbodewa, the 77-year-old father of the detained woman and his two grandchildren.

Lagos govt moves to free woman jailed six years without trial

February 26, 2021
Next Post
Wasiu Ayinde K1 under fire over comments on fuji history, Barrister

Wasiu Ayinde K1 under fire over comments on fuji history, Barrister

CAF Club Competitions: Nigerian clubs seek to avoid early exit

Nigerian clubs experience mixed fortunes in CAF Champions League

Discussion about this post

Search

#EndSARS: Latest Updates




Polaris Bank


JAIZ Ad


NITDA Ad





Glo Ad

Subscribe to News via Email

Enter your email address and receive notifications of news by email.

Join 1,625,868 other subscribers.

Advertisement






netherland biz school Advert

Zenith Advert
ADVERTISEMENT

Our Digital Network

  • PT Hausa
  • Election Centre
  • Human Trafficking Investigation
  • Centre for Investigative Journalism
  • National Conference
  • Press Attack Tracker
  • PT Academy
  • Dubawa
  • LeaksNG
  • Campus Reporter

Resources

  • Oil & Gas Facts
  • List of Universities in Nigeria
  • LIST: Federal Unity Colleges in Nigeria
  • NYSC Orientation Camps in Nigeria
  • Nigeria’s Federal/States’ Budgets since 2005
  • Malabu Scandal Thread
  • World Cup 2018
  • Panama Papers Game
  • Our Digital Network
  • About Us
  • Resources
  • Projects
  • Data & Infographics
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • Parliament Watch
    • AGAHRIN
  • Opinion
  • PT Hausa
  • The Membership Club
  • Dubawa
    • Dubawa NG
  • About Us
  • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Digital Store
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

Our website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.