The Rest Is Politics: Leading 153. The Man Who Invented The World Wide Web (Tim Berners-Lee)
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Sep 14, 2025 
Tim Berners-Lee, the British computer scientist who invented the World Wide Web, joins Rory and Alastair for a fascinating discussion. He explains why he chose to keep the web free and open, rather than profit-driven. The conversation dives into reclaiming the internet from tech giants, the evolution of the web from optimism to pessimism, and its impact on democracy. Berners-Lee reflects on personal data ownership, social media's role in polarization, and the philosophical challenges posed by AI, all while emphasizing the importance of innovation and collaboration.
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Digital Sovereignty Was Lost
- Early web culture created a sense of peer-to-peer digital sovereignty among users.
- Tim says that sense of individual empowerment has since eroded as platforms centralised control.
Attention Design Fuels The Harm
- The biggest harms come from attention-driven, addictive feed designs.
- Tim highlights how platforms learned to keep users engaged and exploit emotional reactions.
Monetisation Is Neutral — Design Isn't
- Commercial models like advertising can be useful for creators and services.
- But when monetisation optimises for engagement it produces harms like mental-health impacts on teens.
