The web is not working for women, says the man who created the internet

I am seriously concerned about the online harms facing women and girls, shared Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the internet

AFP

13 Mar, 2020

The internet is “not working for women” and is fuelling a new era of widespread abuse against females, the creator of the world wide web, Tim Berners-Lee, warned on Thursday.

In a bleak assessment published on the World Wide Web Foundation, an organisation founded by Berners-Lee that advocates a free and open web for all, he also argued that a “dangerous trend” of abuse threatens any advances in gender equality.

“The web is not working for women and girls,” he wrote.

“The world has made important progress on gender equality thanks to the unceasing drive of committed champions everywhere.

“But I am seriously concerned that online harms facing women and girls — especially those of colour, from LGBTQ+ communities and other marginalised groups — threaten that progress.” The abuse was so extensive that “over half of young women surveyed have experienced violence online”, said Berners-Lee, citing a survey from the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.

The world-famous computer engineer also highlighted that discrimination was being further fuelled as many women could not get access to the internet.

Citing the foundation’s own research, he said men were 21pc more likely to be online, rising to 52pc in the world’s least developed countries.

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2020

Comments

Dr. Raje Mar 14, 2020 02:17am

Clear as usual you people do not research things or do your homework. You ignored Robert Cailliau who was also involved in creating the web.

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guest Mar 14, 2020 05:31am

and yet internet provides bread n butter for millions of women

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Indian Mar 14, 2020 06:40am

Although the concerns shared by Mr Lee are right, who decided that he was the “inventor” of internet ? The evolvement of the www , which we generally call internet, was a process. Technically, whenever two networks are joined to form a bigger network, it becomes the internet.

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Alih Mar 14, 2020 07:23am

Many people will disagree but I am sorry to say the world was a better place without internet.

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