Guy Who Built The Internet Says 2.2 Billion People Still Offline, Which Is Wrong

Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, has warned of a widening digital divide during the Covid-19 pandemic and said that far too many young people in the world are still offline.

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Getty Images // Tim Berners-Lee, father of the modern world wide web

In a letter to coincide with the 32nd birthday of the web, the British computer scientist has called on governments to invest in the future by ensuring internet access to all young people.

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¡°A third of young people have no internet access at all,¡± Berners-Lee writes. ¡°Many more lack the data, devices, and reliable connection they need to make the most of the web. In fact, only the top third of under-25s have a home internet connection, according to UNICEF, leaving 2.2 billion young people without the stable access they need to learn online.¡±

For those who don't know, Tim Berners-Lee invented the world wide web -- the modern HTML-based websites, on top of the foundational infrastructure of the Internet -- which we all use today, while he was working at CERN in 1989. For this achievement, he's also popularly referred to as Father Of The Modern Web.

Tim Berners-Lee's point is right, if you just look at India: Only 24 per cent of Indian households have internet connections to access e-education, UNICEF¡¯s Remote Learning Reachability report said. It also noted a large rural-urban and gender divide that is likely to widen the learning gap across high, middle and low-income families.

According to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), there are a total of 106 internet subscribers per 100 people in urban areas compared to a mere 30 in rural areas.

Reuters

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Another survey published by NCERT in August last year mentioned that at least 27 per cent students don¡¯t have access to smartphones or laptops to attend online classes, while 28 per cent respondents believe intermittent or lack of electricity is one of the major concerns hindering teaching-learning.

Internet access should be basic human right

Tim Berners-Lee has argued that the internet access must be recognized as a basic right, akin to how electricity was seen in the last century.

Rosemary Leith, the co-founder of Web Foundation with Berners-Lee, said, ¡°If half a generation of young people are unable to use the tools to thrive in a digital world ¨C to learn new skills, run businesses, build communities, participate in democratic debate ¨C society as a whole will miss out on their talents, ideas and efforts.¡±

And while internet penetration in India remains an issue at large--although, it has grown significantly over the years to cover about half the population--the staggering number of internet shutdowns have an altogether different story to tell.

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India accounted for nearly 70 per cent of the total internet shutdowns in 2020, according to a report published by digital rights group Access Now earlier this month. This includes the 18 month-long blackout of 4G services in Jammu and Kashmir ahead of the Centre¡¯ controversial decision to revoke its special autonomous status.

Reuters

Tim Berners-Lee also expressed concern about abuse and misinformation on the web, which threatens the participation of the young people and can force them from platforms altogether. ¡°This is especially true for those disproportionately targeted on the basis of their race, religion, sexuality, abilities, and gender.¡±

The 65-year-old estimated an investment of $428 billion from governments and the private sector over the next decade would ensure a quality broadband connection for everyone. This, he argues, would deliver around $8.7 trillion in direct economic benefits.

¡°We can¡¯t afford not to do it,¡± he adds.