Prof Philip Howard is the Director of the Oxford Internet Institute (OII) at the University of Oxford, as well as a Professorial Fellow at Balliol College. Here he talks with Prof William James about how the current internet is broken and what can be done to fix it, particularly with regard to the internet of things which will see billions of everyday devices connected to the web. The discussion starts with an analysis of how propaganda and fake news have created a threat to the functioning of vibrant democracies around the world. Prof Howard believes that while self regulation by the internet giants can be useful, it’s not enough in the long term, and only a transnational effort to somehow regulate and control the internet can be successful for the next generation web. They also discuss free speech, censorship and privacy online, and how different cultures and countries have varying norms on these issues. The interview was recorded at the OII at the University of Oxford.
