People across globe do not trust Internet any more, says EC head

People's trust in the Internet was now missing, European Commission vice-president Neelie Kroes has claimed.

Kroes said it was clear that people's trust on the web was diminishing following allegations that the German Chancellor Angela Merkel's phone was hacked.

Speaking at the Cebit tech fair in Hanover, Kroes said the future of the Internet was based on trust, adding that trust can never again be taken for granted.

According to the BBC, Kroes, who is responsible for the European Commission's Digital Agenda, was giving the speech to an audience, which included Merkel and Prime Minister David Cameron.

She said that the next phase of the internet will be data-centred and connectivity-driven, adding that the web was no longer about emails.

She said to make the 'leap of faith' into this new world, reliability and trust is a pre-condition.

Kroes added that when even the phone of the chancellor is not sacred, that trust can never again be taken for granted, the report added.