14 DAY TRIAL // Tim Berners-Lee, who's considered to be the father of the web after inventing it in 1990, said in a statement that the Internet should be considered a human right and everyone should be provided with more affordable access and fewer restrictions coming from governments across the world.
Berners-Lee, who is a former British computer and CERN scientist, and Robert Cailliau, Belgium computer scientist as well, are both considered to be the fathers of the Internet, after writing a proposal to the CERN in 1989 for a more effective communication system.
On December 20, 1990, the two completed the first test of the world wide web, but Berners-Lee shared details about this new exciting project on August 7, 1991 in a newsgroup called at.hypertext.
The Internet as a human right
The number of government surveillance and censorship programs is worrying to say the least, Berners-Lee claims, according to a Mashable post, explaining that the Internet should be considered a human right, so that everyone would get access to it either at a more affordable price or even for free.
“It's time to recognize the Internet as a basic human right. That means guaranteeing affordable access for all, ensuring Internet packets are delivered without commercial or political discrimination, and protecting the privacy and freedom of Web users regardless of where they live,” Berners-Lee said.
The scientist also revealed the so-called Web Index report that provides information on the impact the Internet has globally, explaining that 50 percent of Internet users live in countries where governments are already running programs that restrict their activities online.
4.4 billion people without Internet access
According to details published in the report, approximately 4.4 billion people across the world have no Internet access right now. Most of them are poor, female, living in poor countries or in rural areas, the study reveals.
At the same time, it shows that Internet usage increased from 45 percent to 78 percent in high-income countries since 2005, but as far as developing countries are concerned, stats reveal only a 10 percent year-on-year increase.
As far as the poorest countries are concerned, The Web Index report indicates that the cost of Internet is 80 percent higher than in high-income countries and usage continues to be 10 times lower.
“Overall, the proportion of people using the Internet increased only 5% last year in the Web Index countries. It is upper-middle-income countries that have racked up the most growth in connectivity, from 39% in 2011 to 45% in 2013,” the study concludes.
