At the launch of the World Wide Web Foundation's annual web index report, Tim Berners-Lee has warned that snooping spooks are destroying the free spirit of the internet.

A "growing tide of surveillance and censorship" was how Berners-Lee described the drowning of the democratic nature of the web.

With the US in fourth, Sweden comes top, followed by Norway, while the UK is third place.

"One of the most encouraging findings of this year's web index is how the web and social media are increasingly spurring people to organise, take action and try to expose wrongdoing in every region of the world," he said.

"But some governments are threatened by this, and a growing tide of surveillance and censorship now threatens the future of democracy."

In more than 30 percent of nations during the past year, the report found that "moderate to extensive blocking or filtering of politically sensitive content" took place.

Berners-Lee said NSA surveillance was "appalling and foolish".