The Future of the Internet

What is Web 3.0?

Web 3.0 is the new internet that we’re all anticipating, but what does it really entail? The answer to this question has been debated for years, with many different industry experts having varying opinions on what it will look like. However, there are some common themes among these debates:

• Decentralization of services (more peer-to-peer)
• More user control over data and content
• More intimate connections between humans and machines.
• The metaverse
• Virtual / augmented reality
• Advanced algorithms/machine learning

 

Decentralization

Web 3.0 will have a large focus on decentralization using technologies like blockchain, which is a public ledger of all transactions. These public blockchain ledgers are very secure because they are not stored in just one place, but rather across thousands or millions of computers that constantly verify their accuracy. This makes it virtually impossible for hackers to take over the system and corrupt data on the blockchain.

An example of this new decentralized internet can already be seen with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. Bitcoin transactions are stored and verified on a blockchain ledger that is not controlled by any one person or entity. This eliminates the need for third-party services such as banks to make sure all of your transactions go through correctly—instead you have complete control over your money without needing permission from someone else (this also means there is no chance of fraud either).

The same concept could technically apply to many other facets of web-based life as well: online storage, social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook that store data about users’ interactions with others; electronic voting systems; ride-sharing apps that connect riders and drivers directly without going through another service in between; crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter where people can donate their funds directly to entrepreneurs instead of using an intermediary service like Indiegogo or GoFundMe; and many more!

 

More User Control Over Data & Content

A huge concept moving into the future will be giving users more control over their data, which includes who can see it and how that information can be used by other parties.

We’ve already seen massive government organizations get behind user privacy laws. An example is the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). It is a legal framework in the EU that sets strict guidelines for how to collect user data from any individual that lives in the European Union (EU). Companies like Facebook and Google have already been fined hundreds of millions of dollars for not following these guidelines.

Users are concerned about what data is being collected, and what companies are doing with that information. Generally, companies use user data for advertising purposes, but it can sometimes turn malicious and be used for political purposes like what we saw with Cambridge Analytica and Facebook.

I’m personally not a fan of internet laws and censorship as I believe in mainly censorship-free platforms, but I do agree with users having more control over their data — Maybe just not at the expense of a huge government organization.

This idea ties into the previous one about decentralization because when people have complete power to decide where their data goes, there won’t need to be any intermediaries between them and another party—it will all go directly from A to B without being stored or analyzed along the way. This creates a much safer environment for user privacy as well since only you are able to access your personal info! Plus, this also allows individuals at risk (such as immigrants) to avoid having important documents like passports stolen so they lose entry into foreign countries.

 

More Intimate Connection Between Humans & Machines

The biggest key theme of Web-based life in the future will be the more intimate connection between machines and humans. The idea is that as technology advances, computers are constantly being built with smarter algorithms to help us out with all sorts of tasks—ones that can even become extremely personal! An example of this would be an intelligent virtual assistant like Siri or Alexa where you tell it things about yourself so it has a better understanding of how to assist you around your home or office space.

A great example you probably haven’t heard of is Google Duplex, which is an unreleased AI-powered system Google showcased in 2018 that can make phone calls on your behalf to schedule appointments at stores, restaurants, hair salons, and more. It is able to mimic human speech so it doesn’t sound like a traditional robot assistant! What makes this technology groundbreaking is the fact that you don’t have to do anything—the assistant will essentially just talk for you so you can focus on other things while it takes care of your request.

When a system like this is released it will change the entire world, as everyone will have 24/7 access to a personal assistant that can help with basically anything you want.

You will be able to tell Google Assistant things such as “Google, get me a reservation at Hells Kitchen restaurant” and Duplex will do the rest.

Machine learning is even being used in medical fields where AI programs can match certain faces from X-rays with a photo of the person in question to make it easier for doctors and nurses to identify patients. It can even predict when someone is about to have a heart attack just by the tone of their voice!

As time goes on, this idea will become more and more integrated into our daily lives; and we will be able to have this powerful technology in our pocket. It’s already becoming extremely useful to us, but one can only imagine how much better it will be with even more advanced algorithms!

 

The Metaverse

The metaverse is the ultimate goal of the Web in that it’s a space where all types of digital data can be connected together. It would allow for multiple decentralized systems to work in unison without having to worry about incompatible platforms, which is something we see happening today when you try downloading certain programs and apps. (Example: iMessage on iPhones is not compatible with Android)

Every time there are different closed ecosystems or silos with their own standards and protocols, they create barriers between users who might not want this disruption; thus creating fragmentation within the web itself rather than just personal devices like your laptop or mobile device. Therefore, if everyone uses compatible software then communication becomes much easier!

The crypto world has already started moving towards this idea since many coins offer interoperability through cross-chain atomic swaps. You can essentially trade one coin for another without the need to go through an exchange and pay fees, which is a huge plus!

Recently, Facebook went all in and rebranded their umbrella corporation to “Meta.” This shows just how important the metaverse concept of the internet is.

 

Virtual Reality

 

Web 1.0

The internet has come a long way since the Web 1.0 days of text-based pages and limited bandwidth. We can now surf with speeds that were unimaginable even 10 years ago, and we enjoy rich media experiences like never before. Yet something is missing: Real interactivity between people on the web. Web 3.0 will change all that, giving us communities where we can share content and collaborate on ideas in real-time, as well as communicate with each other one-to-one using voice or video chat.