Net is 'less free and more unequal', says web founder

2 min read Original article ↗

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: