Web 3.0: Your next internet experience
Wondering what Web 3.0 is? Why is there a sudden hype about it? And why are developers and tech giants suddenly diving right into it?
To put it simply, Web 3.0 is the next big thing in the internet revolution. Web 3.0 is the bigger and better version of Web 2.0, which is the current version of the web. Wait, don’t know what Web 2.0 is?
Keep reading!
So there’s Web 2.0 and Web 3.0…but hold on, where’s Web 1.0 ??
Let’s start from the very beginning…
The 1990’s saw the emergence of the internet as we know it. ‘Web’ refers to the World Wide Web (WWW), the internet’s core information retrieval system. Web 1.0 was plain. It just had these static pages displaying data which were accessible through hyperlinks. There was no logging in, no interactive posts, no profitable advertisements and it was a space where people were solely consumers. In other words, it was just a virtual book with lots of information and no fun. It was good, but not enough.
Then came in Web 2.0 and the world saw the paradigm shift from 1.0 to this brand new version. Now, 2.0 was nothing like 1.0 at all with its interactive pages and user fed content. But it was still uncharted waters for the common public. The 3 factors that actually introduced the concept of Web were Android and iPhones, social media and cloud. But the main driving factor, undeniably, was social media . Now what really led to the explosion of Web was Google’s IPO (initial public offering) and creation of Facebook in 2004. Web 2.0 also proved to be a source of income which led to the creation of FAANG -stands for Facebook(now Meta), Amazon, Apple, Netflix and Google (now Alphabet), aka, the major tech giants.
These applications have also spurred the growth of the gig economy(an economy where there are more contract employees and freelancers rather than permanent ones), by enabling millions of people to earn income on a part-time or full-time basis by driving, renting their homes, delivering food and groceries, or selling goods and services online. This was not without a darker side. Web 2.0 was not always safe. It had numerous scams, scandals and not to mention security issues.
Now this is the internet we know. But what if it could be better?
Broader?
Even more diverse?
That’s your Web 3.0.
The 3 key terms that define Web 3.0 are decentralized, trust less and permission less.
Decentralization: In Web 2.0, computers use HTTP in the form of unique web addresses to find information, which is stored at a fixed location, generally on a single server. This means that most of our information and data are controlled by internet giants like Google and Facebook (now Meta). In 3.0, instead of a single server we have multiple locations where the data gets stored, hence “decentralizing” the data and more importantly handing back the control of the data into the hands of the user. Now, this decentralization is done with the help of block chains, which is a distributed database that is shared among computer networks and stores information electronically (blockchains are mainly used in crypto currency for maintaining a decentralized record of transactions). To learn more about blockchain and its applications, check out our previous article here.
Another plus point of decentralization is that Web 3.0 servers can’t go down as they are supported by thousands of computers as their backend. For example, Ethereum.
Whereas 2.0 uses HTTP address to find the data, 3.0 recognizes data based on its content. This was closely related to the idea of semantics web as defined by Barner Lee back in 2001. But 3.0 goes beyond and above the mere semantics web.
Now that we’ve got decentralization out of the picture, let’s see the other two features of Web 3.0.
Trust less, meaning the network will allow participants to interact directly without going through a trusted intermediary. Here, people can exchange money and information without the need of an unnecessary middle man like banks. This is also done with the help of blockchains.
Permission less, meaning that anyone can participate without authorization from a governing body ie, freedom from indiscriminate censorship and surveillance.
Now based on these, let us look at what makes Web 3.0 better.
At present, for all websites and social media accounts we need a login, but in 3.0 this is eliminated. We can seamlessly move between different platforms for acquiring information and shop without hassle. The best part? We don’t have to remember the different crazy passwords that we make up for every other login! Definitely makes life much easier.
Even better is that we are going to dive right into the metaphase, a universe of virtual worlds. The name change of Facebook to Meta is a huge giveaway that 3.0 is picking up steam and is round the corner.
Web 3.0 is the next paradigm shift that the world is going to see, but even with all of its far fetching perks, it is not a perfect version without pitfalls. Without central control due to decentralization, cybercrimes, hate speech and misinformation will become even more difficult to police.
This new version will help to make your internet surfing more personalized, but at the same time you will need better processors, as in old devices may not be able to handle this version. Although Web 3.0 is advertising to hand the control of the data back to the users, major tech influencers believe it will still be controlled by capitalists, destroying the whole idea of decentralization. The entire Web 3.0 is going to be interconnected, making access easier at the same time posing security issues. Well, everything cannot be perfect, only better.
With Web 3.0, everything is going to go virtual and in no time, even spaces for advertisements in the virtual space is going to go on lease. We will see the new world not through our eyes but through our AR and VR headsets.
So buckle up …..its almost here!!!
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