Web We Want

Web We Want. The Web We Want is a global campaign and movement initiated to promote a free, open, and universally accessible World Wide Web. Launched by the World Wide Web Foundation in 2014, it seeks to mobilize citizens and policymakers to protect the web from increasing threats of censorship, surveillance, and fragmentation. The movement advocates for the establishment of digital rights and principles that ensure the web remains a public good and a platform for innovation and equality.

Overview

The campaign emerged from growing concerns over issues like mass surveillance programs, corporate control of online spaces, and government-imposed internet shutdowns. It was formally launched during the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the World Wide Web, with Tim Berners-Lee issuing a call to action for a "Magna Carta for the Web." The movement operates as a decentralized network, connecting activists, organizations, and technologists from the Global South to the Global North. It draws inspiration from earlier digital rights efforts by groups like the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the principles outlined in the Internet Rights and Principles Coalition.

Principles and Goals

Central to the movement is the championing of a set of core principles designed to safeguard the web's future. These include ensuring affordable and universal access to an uncensored internet, protecting user privacy and personal data from exploitation, and maintaining net neutrality to prevent discriminatory traffic practices. The goals explicitly oppose pervasive surveillance, as highlighted by revelations from Edward Snowden, and combat the rise of social media algorithms that create filter bubbles. A key objective is the development of a "Contract for the Web," a global plan of action to hold governments, companies, and citizens accountable for building a better web, which was later published in 2019.

Key Initiatives and Projects

A primary initiative was the global crowdsourcing effort to draft a "Magna Carta for the Web," inviting input from citizens worldwide through online platforms and events like the "Web We Want Festival." This process directly fed into the creation of the Contract for the Web, launched at the Internet Governance Forum in Berlin. The movement also supports local "Web We Want" chapters, such as those in Brazil, India, and Kenya, which work on national digital rights legislation. Other significant projects include research and advocacy for public access solutions, supporting the work of the Alliance for Affordable Internet, and developing educational resources about digital literacy and rights.

Advocacy and Campaigns

The movement engages in high-level advocacy, lobbying at international forums including the United Nations Human Rights Council and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. It runs public campaigns against specific threats, such as advocating against the repeal of net neutrality rules in the United States and opposing laws like the Snooper's Charter in the United Kingdom. It frequently partners with major civil society organizations like Access Now, Amnesty International, and Reporters Without Borders on joint campaigns. The annual "Web We Want" events and participation in conferences like RightsCon and the World Economic Forum are used to amplify its messages and build coalitions.

Impact and Reception

The movement's most tangible impact is the creation and endorsement of the Contract for the Web, which has been signed by numerous governments, including France and Germany, and companies like Google and Facebook. It has successfully influenced policy debates, contributing to stronger data protection frameworks like the General Data Protection Regulation in the European Union. The initiative has been praised by figures like Vint Cerf and organizations such as the World Wide Web Consortium for refocusing attention on the web's original egalitarian vision. However, critics, including some within the free software movement, argue that its reliance on corporate and government partnerships may limit its ability to enact systemic change against powerful entities like the National Security Agency or large Silicon Valley platforms.

Category:Digital rights Category:Internet activism Category:World Wide Web