Since I first found the World Wide Web (some thirty odd years ago) I always believed its potential for the betterment of humanity. It has the ability to bring people together, offer a soapbox to express and debate ideas, to teach and provide information and to simply learn about the world around us (that some of us are unable to see) or simply to help one another.
When I read this morning on the BBC News site that the man who did a great deal to create the Web was worried that the Web was now on the decline, almost to the extent of becoming dysfunctional (there is a brief Video to go along with the article).
The rampant collection of personal data and more expressly poor collection and storage methods and blatant misuse of such data (by companies and unscrupulous app developers) are prime reasons for his worries. But also he mentions the widespread use of “Clickjacking” by companies/sites and also the civility of users.
To attempt to reverse this direction he has created A Contract For the Web which covers the (ideal) use of the Web by Governments, companies and we Users. This is something for which, I feel, the Vivaldi Community would be an ideal fit.
Yes, some the worst offenders have signed up (Microsoft, who Jon has called out more than once, Facebook and Google to name a few) but hopefully they have good intentions (who knows?) and will use their massive Web presence to help turn things around and make it a better place, a safer place to be.
So, to Jon and the principals at Vivaldi, should we not contribute?
This diverse, dynamic, respectful community could become a moving force behind the contract. The Vivaldi Community already seems to be inline with the principles of this document and, I feel, we should sign up (if we have not already).
We could be a voice in improving the Web.
I say not that we each must sign up (I have) and if you agree to the contract’s principles please feel free to. If you do not, there should be no pressure to do so (even if the Vivaldi Community as as whole decides to join).
I truly believe this deserves consideration… What think you?
