The designation “Web 3.0” is often used as an umbrella term for Cryptocurrency, NFT markets, and "the block-chain," but I have greater hopes for the Web’s next iteration. Web 3.0, to me, is about building true decentralization. Cryptocurrencies and NFT markets do not live up to being the decentralized havens they proclaim to be, but there are other projects being created now that are the decentralized technologies we need for the future. The Web needs to evolve in order to support users in the inevitable times of crisis brought on by climate change.
The mesh networks in Spain, New York City, and Detroit are examples of a decentralized Web 3.0. These networks begin as hyper-localized communities which function independently of the global network yet are able to access it as we do now.
I emphasize hyper-local community networks such as these because when disaster strikes in the form of black-outs, water displacement, fire emergencies, and food shortages, it is your local community network that will be there to help first. Cryptocurrencies and NFTs break down when they aren't tied to the global network, rendering them useless in times of crisis.
My vision of Web 3.0 includes AI assistants that rely on hardware and the use of edge networks based within a person's home, allowing the AIs to work on behalf of the user without needing to always be connected "on-line". These assistants will never need to connect to a third-party unless explicitly directed by the user.
I imagine a class of devices that are designed to be off-the-grid first and work without ever needing the internet, such as wearable IoT devices that help you learn more about yourself instead of spying on you and reporting to the rest of Silicon Valley.
Creators in the Fediverse are designing software, such as IPFS and Mastodon, that work without needing to be connected to the internet by default.
This Web, which prioritizes local communities over the global network, can free us from relying on Amazon, Google, Apple, etc. and pull us toward each other. It encourages us to have an eye towards conservation of our communities instead of consumerism.
A decentralized Web comes closer every day as more people join Discords as their preferred community environment. Seeking alternatives to Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, and Twitter, people join Discords because they want fewer hateful messages from anonymous users and more channels of communication to talk with friends about favorite TV shows.
In the end, I hope for a Web that returns power to the users. Building the Web with decentralization as a priority will make us resilient against the perils of the future. We need a Web in which privacy is a foundational property, where apps work for the users again. Instead of making a few companies ultra-wealthy, this Web can become a tool that helps everyone, both in our daily lives and in times of crisis.
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