Sir Tim Berners-Lee is best known for his early work. Whilst at CERN, he invented the World Wide Web and wrote the HTTP protocol. No biggie. However in his recent memoir, This is for everyone, what captivated me was learning of his latest efforts; co-founding The Open Data Institute (ODI), and developing the Solid protocol with his team at MIT. The mission is to empower individuals to own their own data, and to create trust in data more broadly.
To most, the idea of "getting Big Tech to hand over all our data" is something of a pipe dream. We'll likely to roll our eyes & move on.
“They would never do that. Dream on, Tim.” ~ the average defeatist
Yet, how refreshing to see in Sir Tim a leader who challenges that attitude, and speaks of bold humanitarian goals not as something farfetched or out of reach, but as real, tangible, achievable targets. In this article, we'll explore why you should care, what owning your own data looks like, and how we can make it a reality.
(I have not included a full list, but encourage you to read about Sir Tim's other great work, such as leading the coalition which runs the Alliance For Affordable Internet (A4AI), who promote universal & affordable Internet access, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.)
What are most of us missing?
Born in the same year as Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, Sir Tim was amongst a cohort in the right place, at the right time, to play a lead role in the technological revolution. What's unique about him is that his efforts were not driven by financial gain.
It is difficult to imagine focusing the majority of your energy, time and effort into humanitarian goals that seem so out of reach. However, it’s that willingness to proudly and unapologetically be a dreamer that most of us lack. It’s easier to dismiss such goals as ”too idealistic”. Surely history has taught us that’s not the case? Had the Suffragettes not fought with the tenacity they did, women would still be unable to vote.
We deserve the right to own our data. Without this being a shared dream, and some dogged determination, it will not become a reality.
Why should you care ?
There are those of us who obsess over data & statistics, and there are those who do not. Whichever camp you’re in, you should be aware of the vast array of reports on how your data is being misused.
- Meta sending sensitive Ray-Ban Meta footage to workers in Kenya [2026]
- Amazon retaining children's voice recordings indefinitely & ignoring data deletion requests [2023]
- Ring allowing any employee or customer to access your private videos [2023]
- Google tracking users after they turn off location tracking [2022]
- Facebook harvesting your data for political profiling [2019]
Companies are not necessarily working with malicious intent. Controlling data is not easy. It’s sensible, too, for organisations to use the data which they have access to push their businesses forward. However, the capability to cause individuals harm in the process makes our current lack of control over our data unacceptable. Currently, your only option, should you want to protect your data, is complete abstinence from any of the incredible technology available.
Has it always been this way?
No. Yet if you were born in the 21st century, you will not know a world before dark patterns emerged on the web.
Over the last decade, most social media platforms switched from chronological timelines to machine learning algorithms which make use of your data to maximise their hold of your attention. As a result, these applications have become addictive, harmful, and birthed a divided and polarised society (X's own 2021 study found their algorithm to amplify right wing political content).
It doesn't have to be like this.
A week prior to the publishing of Sir Tim's book, Nick Clegg (former UK Deputy MP, ex-Lib Dem leader, and Meta's ex-President of Global Affairs) offered a different perspective in a book of his own, How to Save the Internet.
Rather than empowering individuals, Nick proposes a strategy of non-restrictive governance, encouraging governments and large companies to align on rules which would ensure data flows freely across borders. At the core of his policies, the issues highlighted are the same: a lack of transparency from platforms about how data is used (i.e how their AI works); insufficient control at the level of the individual over their data; and fragmentation of the internet as countries grapple to control something which was designed to transcend borders.
On the side of empowering individuals, Sir Tim lead a team at MIT to develop Solid. With this protocol, everyone has their own data wallet, and can choose at anytime whether a platform (or AI agent) can access their data. If at any moment you decide to switch platforms, your data stays with you.
So, which is the right approach: Transform the way we operate & allow individuals to own their data, or implement global governance around the current setup ? The answer is probably somewhere between the two. What's crucial is that the importance of this matter is recognised, and that we develop a harmonious solution. And look, some interesting things are possible when your data is at your fingertips.