Abstract
A third generation of the Internet (Web 3.0), developed using Blockchain style technology, offers the global community powerful tools for ending its current subservience to a handful of exploitative and intrusive Web 2.0 platforms by realigning the World Wide Web back to its original open standards. In recent years, data has become the new oil, with centralised apps from Google, Amazon and Facebook now generally dominating the average user´s digital experience thanks to the collection, processing, and sale of their data. Fortunately, a window of opportunity is opening for the possible widespread adoption of a new Internet model, inspired by blockchain technology, that could return the control of digital data back to its billions of users. “Blockchain technology is the name originally given to the design underpinning the operation of the digital currency Bitcoin” (Ammous 2019, 239) whose central operational feature is verification. “Transaction validity is not established by any authority, but by the consensus of the network members” (Ammous 2019, 243) and thanks to early-adopter communities of this technology, the utility and value of this form of electronic cash is becoming widely recognized. Blockchain and derivative technologies could usher in a new generation of the Web (Web 3.0) that “will engender a new global digital economy, creating new business models and markets to go with them, busting platform monopolies like Google and Facebook, and giving rise to vast levels of bottom-up innovation” (Wood, 2018). This essay will analyse the value proposition of a blockchain-inspired Web 3.0 compared to the Internet´s current version, based upon the five original open web standards (World Wide Web Foundation) that were put forward in 1994 by the creator of the World Wide Web, Tim Berners Lee. In order to reject a global technocratic system of control, collective and connective action is needed to create a new era of the World Wide Web based on decentralisation, non-discrimination, bottom-up design, universality, and consensus.
Keywords
#blockchain #web3.0 #bitcoin #decentralisation #non-discrimination #bottom-updesign #universality #consensus
The World Wide Web was designed to be a decentralized communication system for everybody to freely create and access information, and despite providing extremely valuable services to the world, a select few big-tech companies now exercise an unhealthy amount of control over human communication, and as a result, basic human perception, and behaviour as well. For this reason, a relatively small community of software developers dispersed among a variety of projects yet motivated by the common goal of creating a self-standing Internet that does not rely on centralized web servers, are applying Bitcoin´s decentralised computer-processing model to develop applications capable of correcting this dangerous concentration of power. Such communities of programmers have come into being through “bonds of sentiment” and their actions are being “mobilized by technology as a conduit of connection” resulting in “windows of opportunity for social change to emerge” (Papacharissi & Trevey 2018, 88). Nowadays, the vast majority of people access information via smartphones (Pew Research Center, 2021) and governmental regulatory authorities have proven themselves both powerless at limiting big tech companies` dominance over the flow of information as well as stopping ensuing anti-competitive business practices. The recent introduction of the News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code, brought about by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, arguably represents the world´s best idea to at least address this issue from a regulatory approach so far. Many other major nations are haphazardly attempting to pass legislation that would impose greater oversight upon these big tech companies however they are all failing to address the root cause of the problem- centralisation. Network-based collective action by diverse communities of software developers to not only create, but also incentivise widespread adoption of decentralised digital platforms, appears to be the only practical way to mitigate humanity´s dependence on a few tech companies who have amassed uncontrollable economic and political power.
Non-discrimination is the second open web standard that has been undermined in recent years, and one which a Blockchain style internet structure could more effectively provide. Because just five major digital service providers (Google, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon) essentially control the entire online environment, they therefore control free speech and actively co-operate to thwart any type of collective action which could challenge their combined monopoly of power. Although “unrestricted free speech may lead us towards error, rather than truth” (Fox & Saunders 2020, 15), persistent viewpoint-based censorship, particularly on Facebook and Twitter during the year 2020, led to large communities forming around shared ideas on alternative social media sites. A decentralized social media platform would enable its community of users to set, moderate and enforce varying standards of communication, creating both an environment, and culture in which people could more successfully engage with viewpoints contrary to their own. Furthermore, this new peer2peer hosted model would protect the community from a similar fate to the 13 million Parler users whose mobile app was abruptly shut down on January 10, 2021 despite being the most downloaded mobile app in the world at that time (Thiel et al. 2021, 13). Irrespective of the motives, the fact that Parler “was removed from the Google Play store (Jan. 8) and the Apple App Store (Jan. 9), and lost its web hosting on Amazon Web Services (Jan. 10)” (Thiel et al. 2021, 2) essentially allows for any public interest conversation to be engineered while discriminating against “certain opinions that normal people have” (Pool, 2021). This type of discrimination is clearly a system failure, and a more traceable, immutable, and secure system of communication built with blockchain technology, would distribute the control of free speech equally among all users. This offers the world a fairer digital framework for expression than the current gatekeeper model, arbitrarily employed by centralised big tech companies.
Billions of people´s lives are being impacted by the decisions of a small number of software engineers in Silicon Valley, meaning that the third original open web standard of bottom up design is not being respected. Fortunately, several of the blockchain-inspired projects that have been receiving the most amount of attention and investment in recent months are those which are specifically focused on designing a bottom up infrastructure for a Web 3.0. As highlighted in the previous paragraph, by consistently colluding to deny the entry of competing companies into their market space, as well as by “blocking competition while favoring its own products and services” (Hinchcliffe 2020), big tech companies stifle innovation and leave consumers without options. Facebook is currently entangled in a colossal antitrust lawsuit against 46 US States, for using “its monopoly power to crush smaller rivals and snuff out competition, all at the expense of everyday users” (Braff 2020). Governments may issue more multi-billion-dollar fines or even attempt to break up big tech monopolies, but the best solution to this unhealthy top-down control is a new generation of the internet in which bottom up design forms an integral part. The co-founder of the world´s second largest open source blockchain called Ethereum, Gavin Wood, defined Web 3.0 as “an inclusive set of protocols to provide building blocks for application makers” (Wood, 2018) and revolutionary projects such as Holochain will soon give individual programmers the ability “to quickly build fully P2P web applications designed to operate on the scale of Twitter or Facebook with no centralized data centers or infrastructure” (Brock et al. 2018, 5). The fact that Holochain, and similar projects, have attracted billions of new investment dollars this year alone, proves that there is a rapidly growing community of individuals who reject the current top-down Web 2.0 structure and have identified a window, and vehicle for change.
Universality is the next open web standard that would be greatly improved by the global adoption of an Internet that integrates different technologies into a single economy, or movement. Using the current Web 2.0 internet model, people cannot communicate with their friends online without using a platform like Facebook to relay the message, nor can they make payments without involving a financial institution as an intermediary. Bitcoin is disrupting the global financial system because it removes this middleman and essentially allows the individual to become their own bank, regardless of their location, cultural and political beliefs etc. When explaining his decision not to patent the code behind the World Wide Web, Berners-Lee affirmed that “you can’t propose that something be a universal space and at the same time keep control of it” (Fleming 2019). Bitcoin is an excellent example of a universal project because it relies on a global community of traders with a shared sentiment, who operate freely on an online network without any authority or institutional interference. It has never been forced on anyone nor advertised yet in just over a decade, it has grown into a digital asset with a combined value of currently over one trillion US dollars. In 1996, John Perry Barlow published the iconic Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace in which he told the “Governments of the Industrial World (…) to leave us alone. You are not welcome among us. You have no sovereignty where we gather” (Cohen-Almagor 2011, 2). This exact same sentiment can be observed in the recent widespread adoption of a payment method and store of value that empowers the individual with greater financial autonomy. The use of similar blockchain technology to browse and communicate online, completely free from the control of current Web 2.0 platforms, promises to become a Bitcoin-style disruption to the current version of the Internet.
Consensus is the fifth original open web standard, and one which highlighted the need for all Web users to agree on transparent and participatory standards for online engagement, far different than the forced choices that Web 2.0 platforms currently present to their users in the form of frequently updated terms of use agreements. Decentralised distributed networks known as Blockchains however, provide their users with transparent and immutable consensus protocols and algorithms that are specifically designed to find common agreements among unknown peers that strengthen the security and integrity of the entire network (Patel, 2020). Digital platforms now intermediate so many of society´s basic daily interactions and activities, that reluctantly “clicking ok to continue” in the absence of any other practical alternative, forces web users to relinquish control over their data and privacy (Snowden 2021). All social media platform´s revenue and power has come from using people´s data by imposing an unfair “consensus mechanism (that) undermines the ability of people to reach a new alternative consensus” (Larimer 2020). People overwhelmingly value privacy because it gives them agency and is also the cornerstone to many fundamental human rights. This was evident when WhatsApp announced they would start sharing data with parent company Facebook, in a change to their terms of use on January 15 of this year. Tens of millions of users began switching to rival chat apps such as Telegram which became the world´s most downloaded app that month (Chan 2021). However, the communities that have formed around this shared sentiment on Telegram, Signal and other chat apps may, in theory face similar forced choices on these platforms in the future. A blockchain-style chat app, such as the recently released Elemental Chat which operates on a crowd-hosting network, would be a better model for governing the consensus systems of the World Wide Web while minimizing the opportunity for digital platforms to profit at the expense of the community.
The global community would greatly benefit from the widespread adoption of a new generation of the Internet (Web 3.0) that can still provide all the popular and useful applications available today (Web 2.0), but via structurally different coding systems that engender values such as trust, self-governance and mass-collaboration. By revisiting the original open web standards, that were created by an international community led by the inventor of the World Wide Web, this essay has argued that a new generation of the Internet, inspired by blockchain technology, is sorely needed to redistribute the power of this amazing communication system back to its individual users and grass roots communities. This essay has briefly discussed the benefits of a Bitcoin-inspired disruption to the Web´s current model specifically in terms of decentralisation, non-discrimination, bottom-up design, universality and consensus. Each of these original open web standards were designed to safeguard one of humanity´s greatest inventions from ever falling into the wrong hands, something which appears to have already happened to a large degree. Humanity now has an amazing window of opportunity to reject the current top down tyrannical form of global governance, by using new technological tools to create a more anarchistic bottom up style system of communicating and collaborating with one another.
REFERENCE LIST
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Braff, D. 2020. “Facebook sued by 46 states, FTC for alleged antitrust violations.” The Sara Carter Show. https://saraacarter.com/facebook-sued-by-46-states-ftc-for-alleged-antitrust-violations/
Brock, A., Atkinson, D., Friedman, E., Harris-Braun, E., McGuiree, E., Russell, J., Perrin, N., Luck, N., Harris-Braun, W. 2018. “Holo Green Paper.” https://files.holo.host/2018/03/Holo-Green-Paper.pdf
Chan, J. 2021. “Top Apps Worldwide for January 2021 by Downloads.” Sensor Tower. https://sensortower.com/blog/top-apps-worldwide-january-2021-by-downloads
Cohen-Almagor, R. (2011). “Freedom of Expression, Internet Responsibility, and Business Ethics: The Yahoo! Saga and Its Implications.” Journal of Business Ethics.
Fleming, S. 2019. “The world wide web is 30. Here are 8 things you should know about it.” World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/02/world-wide-web-is-30-here-are-8-things-you-should-know/
Fox, C & Saunders, J. 2018. “Media Ethics, Free Speech and the Requirements of Democracy.” Routledge Research in Applied Ethics.
Hinchcliffe, T. 2020. “What’s Wrong with Anti-competitive Behavior in Big Tech?” The Sociable. https://sociable.co/technology/whats-wrong-anti-competitive-behavior-big-tech/
Larimer, D. 2020. “Engineering Freedom – Dan Larimer & Mike Maloney on EOS, Bitcoin, Gold & Silver”. GoldSilver (w/ Mike Maloney) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LtAvsS8UI4
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Hello David,
What a well written paper, I’ve enjoyed reading it and I’ve gained new knowledge about it.
What are your thoughts regarding World Mobile Token?
Thank you!
Feel free to read my paper regarding how social media can help individuals who are suffering from mental illness: https://networkconference.netstudies.org/2021/2021/04/28/how-social-media-such-as-twitter-and-discord-can-help-individuals-with-mental-illness-and-build-communities-online/
Hello David, this is a topic that I am very passionate about because I have been a part of this community since 2017. It is an important and fruitful area for people who are in the era of cryptocurrency. We must also bear in mind that there are many fraudulent people trying to steal information on social networks to access virtual wallets, such as emails and messages encoded with scams.
The logic of the blockchain in social networks: To understand the importance of blockchain for the future in social networks at a professional level, it is necessary to go back to the origins of the same networks.
At first, the interaction in blockchain was developed in a freer way, but as they grew, the procedures of the companies that managed them were implemented, whose objective is none other than to obtain benefits. And they do so, of course, at the expense of user data and the content they generate.
An example is found on YouTube, where complaints from content creators are frequent. From time to time, the platform threatens to censor certain content that previously could be done freely. Its algorithm is also not transparent, so creators look for alternatives.
In the blockchain, a system capable of building decentralized social networks that offer more freedom to the user. Among the benefits that some experts consider it will bring, it is expected that brands may have a greater margin when it comes to thinking about their marketing and communication strategies.
The developers of these social networks believe that blockchain is transforming the way we interact on the network because it offers each person control over their data and the monetization of their content. There is no need for central control exercised by a single company whose goal is purely on making money and neglecting its peoples.
Hey Daniel,
After reading your conference paper, I felt very educated how the pavements of Web 3.0 and how it acts in modern society! As an active user of what I assumed what was Web 2.0 and the many applications of it, the accessibility of these apps has incorporated to Web 3.0 and the many blockchains that added to the success of such apps including Facebook, Instagram and other similar apps such as Google and Snapchat. As stated within your conference paper, free will and imagination are crucial elements of social media as creating an online persona has been proven to be a successful factor in the accomplishment of Web 3.0. Nowadays it is practically impossible without hearing about what is trending or what is happening globally as these applications are always active participating in different forms of comments, content uploading and sharing of interesting resources. As a social media user myself I am very aware of the rules and regulations concerning discrimination and harassment online as well the universal and global nature that can come when uploading content. Without the universal nature of Web 3.0 and the many blockchains that are provided to restrict users from overstepping regulations, do believe that social media will be become more chaotic than it already is?
Fantastic paper by the way!
Many thanks!
Im so sorry David, i apologise about mistaking your name!
Hi David!
A unique and interesting read.
Blockchain technology seems to be exciting and the next big thing, but any discussion of it always brings to mind the downside.
Bitcoin, for example, is known to be used for online black market activities, almost exclusively. The biggest concern then, is to separate regular well-meaning users from those who take advantage of anonymity and exclusivity.
Don’t get me wrong, the potential of subverting existing monopolies and creating a new system is exciting and in the long term, probably inevitable. But a utopian ideal that sounds too good to be true is bound to present some unpleasant realities, and it is up to us to navigate them.
Anyway, my stream is Communities and Social media and I’m sure you’ll find it interesting, given that it is about people subverting traditional barriers and creating their own identity. Check it out here : https://networkconference.netstudies.org/2021/2021/04/26/social-media-and-the-re-structuring-of-communities-changing-perceptions/
Thank you for your comments Anurag. I´m happy that you thought it an interesting read.
I will take a look at your paper this evening and leave a comment also!
Your assertion that Bitcoin is used almost exclusively for online “black market activities” is a common generalisation which lacks any hard data or supporting evidence. Furthermore, the blockchain ledger, on which Bitcoin transactions are recorded, can be used as a highly effective forensic crime fighting tool.
A covert, or “black economy” does not require Bitcoin (just an open-source protocol) to exist and is not always a bad thing. It only requires supply, demand, and individual autonomy. For example, while patent-protected coronavirus drug Remdesivir is unavailable in India for corporate and political reasons, people can rely on the “black market” to obtain Chinese-made copycat medication to save lives.
Because the decentralised nature of Bitcoin is a disruptive threat to traditional financial institutions, it is typical to see unfavourable and misleading statements made by those whose interests are most at risk (i.e central banks and governments).
Finally, I agree with you that we need to navigate some unpleasant realities with regards to future developments in this space and that new systems are inevitable.
Thanks again for your comments and I welcome any further discussion on this, or any other topic with you!
Thanks for the clarification David!
Re-thinking the black market thing also brings to mind a very large black market that already exists using traditional government backed money as well! The focus on Bitcoin specifically in the context of the black market may indeed be influenced by entrenched powers like large banks. I find your statement on covid medicine interesting and definitely looking forward to it.
If you feel like it, you can always check out my paper and we can have a whole other discussion on that topic 🙂
Regards.
I love this idea.. data is the new oil!
Thanks Sonia!
Well I think we also have reason to be terrified of that idea!
Blockchain technology offers us an alternative model to big Data (& maybe even Oil) cartels!
This is an interesting paper and I appreciate the way it is structured around the five open web standards.
Whenever I read about blockchain (and related technologies) I now wonder about the potential environmental impact of this type of distributed system, having read a number of articles on the power implications of moving away from centralised systems to decentralised systems (across many more computers all using electricity). I wondered if your research led you to consider this at all?
The other aspect of decentralisation that I think might need to be considered is the relative ease of use, in comparison with centralised systems. Having looked at a few decentralised social networks, such as Diaspora and Mastodon, to see how useful they might be for student community networks, one of the problems I’ve hit is whether I would be able to make such a system easy enough for time-poor, nontechnical people to access and use. Do you have a sense of the impacts of this type of problem? Making decentralised systems easy for anyone to access has, arguably, been done in the case of torrent sites for example, but I’m not sure how well that transfers across other applications.
Thank you for your comments Eleanor. Yes, I believe that structuring the essay around the five original open web standards helped clarify and strengthen my argument.
I did not reference the energy consumption of the global blockchain (cryptocurrency) industry because the argument inevitably leads to the same conclusion for every other product or service (washing machines, cars, planes, gaming etc). The free market decides that the utility of these activities justify their energy consumption.
Renewable energy versus fossil fuels is quite a different essay altogether and I recommend Alex Epstein´s 2014 book entitled “The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels” to help move beyond a fear-based analysis of Blockchain or any other high energy consuming technology.
I´m sure we could have an interesting debate about the values, rewards, and environmental impact of Bitcoin vs Netflix for example, or the Robotics industry if you prefer, as I remember you are very knowledgable in that area.
In regard to the ease of use of decentralised social media, there have been many cool projects like the ones you mentioned (I also like minds.com and Everipedia) and I agree with you that optimising the interface is just as important as the base protocol in order to reach the critical mass of users to become a popular choice for student community networks.
Anyway, pretty deep topics. Thanks again for your comment and I´m sure there will be fascinating developments in this space in coming months/years.