Security News > 2021 > October > Internet Archive's 2046 Wayforward Machine says Google will cease to exist

The Internet Archive has launched a campaign against tech regulation by setting up a Wayforward Machine, semi-parodying its famous Wayback Machine archiving site.

The Wayforward Machine paints a picture of the internet in 2046 - smeared with censorship, regulation, governmental interference, and more.

On typing in any well-known web address to the Wayforward Machine, the viewer is presented with a number of popups - all of which suggest a nightmarish future where governmental surveillance reigns supreme and privacy is heavily frowned upon.

On top of the Wayforward Machine, the IA has also published a timeline of things that could go wrong for the US side of the web, including repeal of section 230 of the US Communications Decency Act, which protects hosts and platform operators from being legally liable for user-generated content.

Internet regulation is a particularly hot topic at the moment.

US calls to regulate tech companies have grown ever louder in recent years while in the UK, the promised Online Safety Bill seems certain to make using the internet a much more insecure experience thanks to mandatory age verification, which is a main plank of the government's campaign to regulate US-based tech companies.

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2021/10/01/internet_archive_wayforward_machine/