Your data is (not yet) a human right
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”. …