Long Live the Web

Tim Berners-Lee’s “Long Live the Web” explains how the Web was originally designed to be open, universal, and accessible to everyone. That openness is what allowed it to grow so quickly and become a tool that people around the world rely on every day. He emphasizes that the Web is not something natural but something we create and shape through choices about standards and policies.

He also warns about threats that could weaken the Web, like social media platforms locking away user data, companies creating “walled gardens,” or Internet providers favoring certain sites. These practices risk fragmenting the Web and limiting our freedom to access information. Berners-Lee connects this to bigger ideas, arguing that the Web is as important to free speech and democracy today as the printing press once was.

What stands out most is how much we tend to take the Web for granted. Berners-Lee makes clear that its future depends on actively protecting its principles of openness, universality, and neutrality. His argument highlights that the Web is not just a technical system but also a foundation for free expression and democratic access to information.