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Web creator's net neutrality fear | Web creator's net neutrality fear |
(about 7 hours later) | |
By Rory Cellan-Jones Technology correspondent, BBC News | By Rory Cellan-Jones Technology correspondent, BBC News |
The inventor of the web has said that governments must act to preserve the principle of net neutrality. | The inventor of the web has said that governments must act to preserve the principle of net neutrality. |
Sir Tim Berners-Lee told the BBC that legislation may be needed if self-regulation failed. | Sir Tim Berners-Lee told the BBC that legislation may be needed if self-regulation failed. |
He has been asked by the UK government to negotiate an agreement on an open internet between service providers and content firms like the BBC and Skype. | |
Sir Tim would prefer self-regulation by the internet industry, but progress has been slow. | Sir Tim would prefer self-regulation by the internet industry, but progress has been slow. |
"If it fails the government has to be absolutely ready to legislate," he said. | "If it fails the government has to be absolutely ready to legislate," he said. |
"It may be that the openness of the internet, we should just put into law." | "It may be that the openness of the internet, we should just put into law." |
Net neutrality, the idea that all traffic on the internet should be treated equally, has been a controversial issue in the United States and is now moving up the political agenda in the UK. | Net neutrality, the idea that all traffic on the internet should be treated equally, has been a controversial issue in the United States and is now moving up the political agenda in the UK. |
Two tier | Two tier |
Internet Service Providers have claimed that they need to be able to control the growing traffic online, and content creators fear that the result could be a two-speed internet. | Internet Service Providers have claimed that they need to be able to control the growing traffic online, and content creators fear that the result could be a two-speed internet. |
Sir Tim said that he understands the need for traffic management but any move to discriminate between different content businesses would be a step too far. | Sir Tim said that he understands the need for traffic management but any move to discriminate between different content businesses would be a step too far. |
"What you lose when you do that is you lose the open market," he said. | "What you lose when you do that is you lose the open market," he said. |
"What the companies gain is that they get complete control of you." | "What the companies gain is that they get complete control of you." |
But Professor William Dutton of the Oxford Internet Institute warned that enshrining net neutrality in law had its dangers. | But Professor William Dutton of the Oxford Internet Institute warned that enshrining net neutrality in law had its dangers. |
"Once you allow the state in, you open the door to all sorts of regulation of the internet controls on content creation," he said. | "Once you allow the state in, you open the door to all sorts of regulation of the internet controls on content creation," he said. |
Sir Tim, who was speaking at the opening of the World Wide Web Consortium's UK offices in Oxford, said that internet access was now becoming a human right. | Sir Tim, who was speaking at the opening of the World Wide Web Consortium's UK offices in Oxford, said that internet access was now becoming a human right. |
At the same time it was also a very powerful tool for either a government or a large company to get to control of. | At the same time it was also a very powerful tool for either a government or a large company to get to control of. |
He warned that this could lead to users being blocked from visiting sites that were not politically correct, or religiously correct, or commercially correct. | He warned that this could lead to users being blocked from visiting sites that were not politically correct, or religiously correct, or commercially correct. |
He also expressed concerns about the Digital Economy Act, passed in a hurry at the end of the last parliament. | He also expressed concerns about the Digital Economy Act, passed in a hurry at the end of the last parliament. |
Sir Tim said he was appalled at the way the Act, which includes anti-piracy measures, had been pushed through. | Sir Tim said he was appalled at the way the Act, which includes anti-piracy measures, had been pushed through. |
"We need to establish very strong checks and balances whenever there is power to disconnect somebody given to a government agency," he said. | "We need to establish very strong checks and balances whenever there is power to disconnect somebody given to a government agency," he said. |
The implementation of the Act has been held up after the Internet Service Providers BT and TalkTalk won the right to a judicial review. | The implementation of the Act has been held up after the Internet Service Providers BT and TalkTalk won the right to a judicial review. |
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