Web inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee urges Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg to ‘fix things’ as he weighs in on data row

<em>Sir Tim Berners-Lee has urged Facebook to act after the Cambridge Analytica scandal (Rex)</em>
Sir Tim Berners-Lee has urged Facebook to act after the Cambridge Analytica scandal (Rex)

As the scandal over Cambridge Analytica threatens to seriously harm Facebook’s reputation, the inventor of the World Wide Web has weighed in on the row.

In a series of tweets, Sir Tim Berners-Lee described the Cambridge Analytica (CA) scandal as a ‘serious moment’ for the web, but reassured Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg he can ‘fix it’.

The British computer scientist said it was time for all Internet users to ‘build a web that reflects our hopes and fulfils our dreams more than it magnifies our fears and deepens our divisions’.

<em>Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg apologised for a breach that led to 50 million users’ data being obtained (Rex)</em>
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg apologised for a breach that led to 50 million users’ data being obtained (Rex)

He posted on Twitter after Mr Zuckerberg apologised for a 2015 breach that led to 50 million users’ data being obtained by CA.

The fallout of the scandal has seen a growing movement of people deleting their Facebook accounts.

Sir Tim wrote: ‘This is a serious moment for the web’s future. But I want us to remain hopeful.

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‘The problems we see today are bugs in the system. Bugs can cause damage, but bugs are created by people, and can be fixed by people.’

He went on: ‘I can imagine Mark Zuckerberg is devastated that his creation has been abused and misused. (Some days I have the same feeling #justsaying)

‘I would say to him: You can fix it. It won’t be easy but if companies work with governments, activists, academics and web users we can make sure platforms serve humanity.’

The inventor proposed a set of ‘general rules’ for web users to adhere to:

  • Any data belonging to a person is theirs alone to control. If anyone is given the right to use the data for a purpose then they should use it for that purpose alone.

  • If researchers have access to data they must only use it for research purposes. Sir Tim said this is ‘REALLY IMPORTANT’ as ‘so much important science and medicine depends on that data’.

<em>People have been deleting their Facebook accounts as a result of the scandal (Rex)</em>
People have been deleting their Facebook accounts as a result of the scandal (Rex)

In a plea to all web users, he added: ‘My message to all web users today is this: I may have invented the web, but you make it what it is.

‘And it’s up to all of us to build a web that reflects our hopes and fulfils our dreams more than it magnifies our fears & deepens our divisions.’