Perhaps people are simply projecting what they think "the spirit in which Tim Berners-Lee created the web" is on the man?

Even if he put words to them early on, it's easy for someone to claim lofty ideals when creating something and later realize that's not true to what they believe in.

This whole fanboy-heroism is probably a big part of why people don't act for themselves and are left to cry when their 'glorious leaders' "betray" their interests.