On 13 March 1989, computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee wrote a paper, that laid out his thoughts for the world wide web.

Twenty years on, the web has changed the way many people around the world interact, do business, meet people, shop, work, and even entertain themselves.

Until 1989, the use of the internet was limited to defence and academic groups, but now it has become popular across the world.

The internet and the web are not the same thing.
 
The internet is the infrastructure that allows computers to talk to each other throughout the world. The web is the interface that allows people to exchange data, text, pictures, graphics, audio and video on the internet. 

On its 20th anniversary, the founder of the web says it is still in its infancy. So what sort of changes lie ahead? And what about the future of the web in poor and developing countries? 

Inside Story discusses the difference the web has made in our lives in terms of freedom of expression and free flow of information.

We also take a look at the power of the web being used for protests and activism. And why is the web so popular? 

Maryam Nemazee is joined by Joi Ito, the CEO of the nonprofit group Creative Commons, one of the web's leading thinkers and writers on a number of cutting-edge technologies; Lawrence Pintak, a journalist and director of the Adham Center for Journalism at the American University in Cairo; and Marwa Rakha, a columnist, radio presenter and blogger.

Part 1

Part 2

Sources:

Al Jazeera Inside Story: http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/insidestory/2009/03/2009315145359628327.html

Al Jazeera Inside Story: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvYQMwPn9l8

Al Jazeera nside Story: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFr0KUwwUww

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