Monday 25 November 2019 9:27 am | Updated: Monday 25 November 2019 11:44 am

Sir Tim Berners-Lee warns of ‘digital dystopia’ as he unveils plan to save the web

World wide web creator Sir Tim Berners-Lee has warned of a “digital dystopia” as he launches a plan aimed at tackling the misuse of the internet.

The British computer scientist will unveil a string of new standards at an event in Berlin today amid fears of online harms such as foreign interference in elections, hate speech and disinformation.

The plan, dubbed the Contract for the Web, calls on governments, companies and citizens to protect the internet as a force for good.

“The power of the web to transform people’s lives, enrich society and reduce inequality is one of the defining opportunities of our time,” Berners-Lee said.

“But if we don’t act now – and act together – to prevent the web being misused by those who want to exploit, divide and undermine, we are at risk of squandering that potential.”

The contract has so far secured the backing of over 160 organisations, including Google, Microsoft and Facebook.

It sets out nine key principles, including calls for governments and companies to protect people’s online privacy and data and making the internet affordable and accessible to everyone.

It also urges firms to “develop technologies that support the best in humanity and challenge the worst”.

In addition, the contract states that all web users have a responsibility to build online communities that “respect civil discourse and human dignity”.

It comes as regulators in the UK and the EU prepare to roll out tougher rules for online firms amid growing criticism of their failure to control harmful behaviour.

In a speech last week actor Sacha Baron Cohen took aim at tech giants such as Facebook, Google and Youtube for deliberately spreading fake news and conspiracy theories.

“If Facebook were around in the 1930s, it would have allowed Hitler to post 30-second ads on his ‘solution’ to the ‘Jewish problem’,” he added.