LONDON: The British inventor of the World Wide Web accused Western governments of hypocrisy in spying on the Internet while lecturing repressive leaders across the world for doing exactly the same.
Tim Berners-Lee, a London-born computer scientist who invented the Web in 1989 as the Berlin Wall crumbled, said the West was involved in “insidious” online spying that could change the way normal people use their computers.
The United States and Britain are facing domestic and international furor after a security contractor leaked documents that lifted the lid on previously secret American and British programs to spy on the Internet.
“It can be easy for people in the West to say ‘oh, those nasty governments should not be allowed access to spy.’ But it’s clear that developed nations are seriously spying on the Internet,” he said.
Berners-Lee said the revelations about US and British spying could alter the way people use the Internet, especially for younger generations who can use it in intimate ways.
“Teenagers who are unsure about their sexuality who need to contact others, or people being abused trying to find help lines... There are things that happen on the net that are very intimate, which people are going to be loath to do if they feel there is somebody looking over their shoulder.”
He also questioned whether the governments could safeguard sensitive date once collected.
Berners-Lee made the comments before accepting a joint engineering prize awarded by Queen Elizabeth to five men — including Robert Kahn, Vint Cerf, Louis Pouzin and Marc Andreessen —who are considered to be the fathers of the Internet.
Cerf, Google vice president who is listed as “Chief Internet Evangelist” on the company’s website, suggested computer scientists should work on ways to get around surveillance by creating encrypted web communication, The Times reported.
Documents leaked by former US security contractor Edward Snowden revealed that the National Security Agency had access to vast amounts of internet data such as e-mails, chatrooms and video from large companies, including Facebook and Google, under a government program known as Prism.
Stop snooping, Web founder tells West
Stop snooping, Web founder tells West
Apple to update EU browser options, make more apps deletable
- iPhone maker came under pressure from regulators to make changes after the EU’s sweeping Digital Markets Act took effect on March 7
- Apple users will be able to select a default browser directly from the choice screen after going through a mandatory list of options
STOCKHOLM: Apple will change how users choose browser options in the European Union, add a dedicated section for changing default apps, and make more apps deletable, the company said on Thursday.
The iPhone maker came under pressure from regulators to make changes after the EU’s sweeping Digital Markets Act took effect on March 7, forcing big tech companies to offer mobile users the ability to select from a list of available web browsers on a “choice screen.”
The new rules require mobile software makers to show the choice screen where users can select a browser, search engine and virtual assistant as they set up their phones, which earlier came with preferred options from Apple and Google.
In an update later this year, Apple users will be able to select a default browser directly from the choice screen after going through a mandatory list of options.
A randomly ordered list of 12 browsers per EU country will be shown to the user with short descriptions, and the chosen one will be automatically downloaded, Apple said. The choice screen will also be available on iPads through an update later this year.
Apple released a previous update in response to the new rules in March, but browser companies criticized the design of its choice screen, and the Commission opened an investigation on March 25 saying it suspected that the measures fell short of effective compliance.
The company said it has been in dialogue with the European Commission and believes the new changes will address regulators’ concerns.
It also plans to introduce a dedicated area for default apps where a user will be able to set defaults for messaging, phone calls, spam filters, password managers and keyboards.
Users will also be able to delete certain Apple-made apps such as App Store, Messages, Camera, Photos and Safari. Only Settings and Phone apps would not be deletable.
