Next year marks the 30th anniversary of the creation of the world wide web, surely one of the most wondrous inventions in human history. The capability of anyone on the planet with a smartphone to have access to all the world’s openly published knowledge is an astonishing phenomenon.

But as we look forward to the next 30 years, we face two great challenges. First, how can we most speedily provide access for the 3bn people who remain unconnected to the web? Second, how do we ensure that they can connect in a risk-free way? The internet has brought many benefits, but also suffers from dangerous flaws.

Two reports from the Commission for Technology and Inclusive Development, discussed at this week’s World Bank annual meetings in Bali, sketch out some useful pathways to greater equity and prosperity in the digital world. The commission, consisting of philanthropists, officials, entrepreneurs, and academics, makes a powerful case that digital access is both a basic human right, recognised by the UN, and a force for economic good. In the words of Melinda Gates, one of the commission’s co-chairs, the web is a remarkably effective tool for connecting people with markets.