The www is wonderful

Isn't it. There is so much to love. Researching, finding directions, buying stuff, access to your bank account and just doing fun stuff, and keeping in touch.

Google and Facebook and their ilk have made a mint out of providing you and me "free" access to this treasure trove. The Internet, however, has its down side. I'd like to focus on one - a story I read in today's Independent "International students threatened with deportation in fake Home Office scam."

I don't know about you but I've been tricked through Google search to click on a site that charges for services which are free.Google try to stop that. These sites are relatively harmless but other sites are criminal, cruel and are undermining the benefit we gain from the Internet.

This recent scam is I suspect nothing out of the ordinary - preying on innocents. I don't, however, want to have a go at this particular scam, but how we get the internet companies to do more about weeding out this shit.

My argument is simple. The Internet is brilliant. It provides huge benefit to billions of people. A few - the Googles, Facebook, Apples  and Amazons have done exceptionally well. I think they ought to recognise that. For example, by not trying to increase shareholder value at the expense of taxpayers.

 I do, however, think they should recognise that the flip side of their good fortune is the proliferation of scams such as that identified in the Independent. I believe they should also do more to clean up the Internet - I don't want to get into the hackneyed argument that they're just the messenger. They benefit hugely from the Internet. So why not get them to finance directly a international clean up agency. Think "Mission Impossible" - but without Tom Cruise. 

Look at the UN! what use is that! National interests trump any wider consideration. Russia's oligarchs are not going to finance a body that might uncover state sponsored scams. China, Israel, Britain etc,etc wouldn't allow such a body to mess with their digital offering.  My idea's doomed!

There's a simpler way and that is happening already. Advertisers are no longer so naive. Having a an ad run along side an article endorsing murder or another ad which is a scam is not good for business. Advertisers/Google etc must already have software in place which alerts them to inappropriate placements  - just make that more effective. Although it won't stop fake news sites buggering up our democracy. 

That requires leadership, vision and the wholesale re-education of the political classes. The Internet is brilliant but it's not genius.