Tim Berners-Lee invented the World-Wide Web (www) in 1989 when he built the 1st-ever Web browser & handed the project to the world without retaining any pecuniary or other reward system for himself (no royalties at all).
He built the single most disruptive technology of the century, it connected the world in a way that was previously only imagined in fiction. The thing is that his invention is being used in a manner that he hadn’t envisaged, causing him anguish. Not to speak of the way certain behemoth corporations have ‘captured’ the public by hijacking user-data, & removing people’s’ control over their own information.
The father of the World Wide Web decided to do something about it. Tim’s efforts have resulted in Inrupt, a project he began in 2016.
Along with John Bruce, Tim has structured an organization to disrupt the status quo. The premise behind Inrupt is to give users the opportunity to take the control of their information away from the current custodians, such as Facebook, Google, Apple & other ‘data-hoarding-giants’, & offer permissions to share their data, only where necessary, & with whom they want.
Each person will hold their own data in a Pod, over which only they have control, effectively denying 3rd parties the right to share, leak, sell or otherwise use this information to grow their own ‘purse-size’.
The technological platform setup to enable this concept is called ‘Solid’ an open source protocol which Inrupt’s founders believe capable of bringing their innovative idea to fruition.
With Solid, Inrupt is “redefining who controls & benefits from data Online”. Solid is available for download from GitHub. Developers are encouraged to use the platform to build applications to drive the ‘New Internet’ in a direction more in keeping with Inrupt’s concept.
Hundreds of apps are already available to this end, including a weather API, a blogging app called Plume, a bookmarking app called Mark Book & the ‘Early Years’ app that digitizes the paper-based assessments currently used to review a child’s development up to the age of 2.5 years which will be shared with health professionals. Security & encryption systems for Inrupt are in design by the famous Bruce Schneier, who needs little introduction to circles of developers & Web designer. The Inrupt team is working hard to make its dream a reality, & there are a lot of supporters currently coming onboard & putting money into the project.
Image credit: Inrupt
