Intended for Good
by Karen Pecota

The Summer Olympics  held in London in July 2012 featured British Sir Tim Berners-Lee in their  opening ceremonies. Berners-Lee is the computer programmer who invented the  World Wide Web (www) in 1989, at the age of 33-years-old. His vision was to  make the web free and a resource globally accessible to everyone. His goal was  realized and known today as a global revolution in communication.

The Olympic opening  ceremony extravaganza show visualized how digital communications have become  part of everyday life. They told a story in musical form about a pair of  teenagers who find each other by social networking on their mobile phones. At  the end of the song, a house structure rises into the air. Berners-Lee  once inside the house sits at a desk live-tweeting this message: This is for everyone #london2012 #oneweb #openingceremony@webfoundation  @w3c. Simultaneously the same message flashed around the stadium on lit-up  tablets attached to the seats of 70,500 people in the audience. An estimated  one billion television viewers saw this message. This celebration honored Sir  Tim Berners-Lee's work that he donated to develop the web for the world.

It has not been common  knowledge as to who did invent the World Wide Web. We laugh when we hear a  statement from former Vice President Al Gore's claim to fame. Others think it  originated with the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency or Steve Jobs or Bill Gates.  One of Berner-Lee's colleagues states, "The reason Sir Tim Berners-Lee is  not a household name is because of Tim." This project is not about him. It  is to be for everyone.

Two things Tim did in  the beginning of his creation: 1) He designed the World Wide Web, and 2) He  built an institution that could help the World Wide Web grow.

His goal was not to  make money off of his innovation. He wanted it to be free to all who would use  it as a viable resource, uninhibited by sociological status.

The documentary ForEveryone.Net directed by filmmaker Jessica Yu is the compelling story about the origins of  the World Wide Web, it's creator Sir Tim Berners-Lee, and his journey to hold  on to his vision for one of the most important innovations of all time. His creation  is being threatened. Governments want to control it and make it selective.  Tim's story now asks the question, "Will we fight for the Web we want or  let it be taken away?"

Note: There is an  opportunity for us to take action and make a difference and join the Net  Neutrality, Internet Rights Conversation through Tim's organization, visit:  webfoundation.org/w3.org