Web inventor: Surveillance threatens democracy
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LONDON - The scientist credited with inventing the World Wide Web says a growing tide of surveillance is threatening democracy's future.
Tim Berners-Lee, who developed the Web in 1990, has been a vocal critic of Internet surveillance. He said Friday that as more people use the Internet and social media to ``expose wrongdoing,'' some governments are feeling threatened.
He said the result is a ``growing tide of surveillance and censorship'' that threatens the future of democracy, warning that ``bold steps'' must be taken to protect privacy rights and the freedom of opinion online.
His remarks came ahead of the launch in London of a report ranking which countries best use the Web. Sweden was ranked first, followed by Norway, the UK and the United States.
Associated Press
