Skip to content
More from
Bloomberg
Opinion
relates to Tesla Is Running Circles Around Old-School Automakers
Tesla Is Running Circles Around Old-School Automakers
relates to Sweetgreen's IPO Recipe: A Lot of Salad, Some Tech
Sweetgreen's IPO Recipe: A Lot of Salad, Some Tech
relates to Facebook Can Rest Easy. Nobody Does Old People Better.
Facebook Can Rest Easy. Nobody Does Old People Better.
relates to Elon Musk Had a Good Day
Elon Musk Had a Good Day
relates to How Broken Is the Supply Chain? Industrial CEOs Weigh In
How Broken Is the Supply Chain? Industrial CEOs Weigh In
relates to Some Unsolicited Career Advice for Gen Z Graduates
Some Unsolicited Career Advice for Gen Z Graduates
relates to Holding Out for the Right Job? Don't Dawdle Too Long
Holding Out for the Right Job? Don't Dawdle Too Long
relates to America’s Jammed-Up Ports Need Help
America’s Jammed-Up Ports Need Help
relates to Democrats Look Set to Pass Both Their Bills
Democrats Look Set to Pass Both Their Bills
relates to DeSantis Elevates Vaccine Antics to Theater of the Absurd
DeSantis Elevates Vaccine Antics to Theater of the Absurd
Subscriber Only
Technology & Ideas

There’s Only One Way to Tackle Facebook, Google and Amazon

Tim Berners-Lee’s idealism about fixing a dysfunctional internet is misplaced. At this stage, only governments can rein in the monopolies. 

By
With all due respect to Tim Berners-Lee, the tech giants are way past attempts at self-regulation and voluntary ethics codes.

With all due respect to Tim Berners-Lee, the tech giants are way past attempts at self-regulation and voluntary ethics codes.

 Photographer: NurPhoto/NurPhoto

Wouldn’t it be wonderful, with the wealth of information available on the internet today, to go back to the nice village feel of the web’s earliest days, when it was free to almost everyone who had access to it, personal data weren’t bought and sold, important decisions weren’t made by algorithms and online bullying, harassment and disinformation were non-issues outside a few un-moderated Usenet newsgroups? 

Well, Tim Berners-Lee, who’s credited with inventing the World Wide Web, appears to believe we can get at least part of the way there if we all agree that we should.