Tim Berners-Lee, Web Creator, Defends Net Neutrality

Tim Berners-Lee, the creator of the World Wide Web, has big plans for the future of the Internet. Greater use of online data, faster computers to take care of day-to-day tasks and more collaboration among people around the world are all possible, Berners-Lee told an audience at a technology conference in London. But the British computer scientist warned that this future would happen only if people continued to have unfettered access to the basic infrastructure that powers the Internet.

“It’s all predicated on a neutral network,” said Berners-Lee, in a reference to the heated debate around so-called net neutrality, a principle according to which everyone should have equal access to online content. “Net neutrality is really, really important,” he added. “Never before have you had something in the system that could throttle your app.” The intervention of the founder of the World Wide Web, which celebrated its 25th anniversary this year, comes as both sides of the net neutrality debate are sharpening their claws.