The web is becoming less free and more unequal,
according to a report from the World Wide Web
Foundation.
Its annual web index suggests web users are at
increasing risk of government surveillance, with
laws preventing mass snooping weak or non-
existent in over 84% of countries.
It also indicates that online censorship is on the
rise.
The report led web inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee
to call for net access to be recognised as a
human right.
The World Wide Web Foundation, led by Sir Tim,
measured the web's contribution to the social,
economic and political progress of 86 countries.
Other headline findings from the report include:
74% of countries either lack clear and
effective net neutrality rules and/or show
evidence of traffic discrimination
62% of countries report that the web plays a
major role in sparking social or political
action
74% of countries are not doing enough to
stop online harassment of women
The index ranked countries around the world in
terms of:
universal access
relevant content and use
freedom and openness
empowerment
Four of the top five were Scandinavian, with
Denmark in first place, Finland second and
Norway third. The UK came fourth, followed by
Sweden.
"The richer and better educated people are, the
more benefit they are gaining from the digital
revolution," said Anne Jellema, chief executive of
the World Wide Web Foundation, and the lead
author of the report.
"Extreme disparities between rich and poor have
been rightly identified as the defining challenge of
our age, and we need to use technology to fight
inequality, not increase it."
One of the best starting points would be to put
net access at the top of the agenda, she added.
Sir Tim said: "It's time to recognise the internet
as a basic human right.
"That means guaranteeing affordable access for
all, ensuring internet packets are delivered
without commercial or political discrimination,
and protecting the privacy and freedom of web
users regardless of where they live."
Describing the web as a "great leveller" he said
that rights to privacy, freedom of expression and
affordable access should be "hardwired" into the
basic rules of net use.
For the first time, the report looked at net
neutrality, the principle that all web traffic should
be treated equally.
It has been the focus of fierce debate in 2014,
with the US mulling new laws that could create a
two-tier internet - fast lanes for content providers
prepared to pay for their services to be delivered
faster.
The World Wide Web Foundation is calling on
policy makers to introduce a raft of measures to
fight net inequality.
They include:
Accelerate progress towards universal access
by increasing number of affordable net
services
Prevent price discrimination in internet traffic
by treating the internet like an other public
utility
Invest in high-quality public education to
make sure that no-one is left behind with
technological progress
Use the web to increase government
transparency and protect freedoms of speech
and privacy
Invest more to overcome key barriers in
health, education, agriculture and gender
equality