Our beloved Internet has aged and How?

Change is the only constant as we know and the constant obsession of this generation “The Internet” has aged and just like any other youth, it’s free from several restrictions.

If you’re a tech enthu-cutlet, I’m sure you guessed it right until now that we’re talking about none other than “Web3” here. And if you’re hearing it for the first time, hold your seat because reading about it will open your perception about where the world is moving.

But let’s start from the start.

The Inception

Web1 or the “infant web” to be better termed, was only a one-sided thing (just as ek tarfa pyar). No engagement, no interactions, nothing at all. Owing to its restrictions, it was termed as ‘Read only web’ wherein, one can only read, or say consume the content.

But the question arises, then who the hell was creating the content? The answer to this is wealthy websites. The reason behind this is back then, the internet was not as convenient as it is now, and neither was the information accessibility.

And hence, creating content was centralized amongst peers with money and information. In this sense, it’s safe to say that the internet and information used to be traded for money. This continued till 2004 and then a paradigm shift was about to happen.

When things escalated

Freedom follows with age and so happened with the internet. Consumers started growing quickly which demanded more and diversified content requirements. It was this time when our favorite platforms such as Youtube and Facebook came into the picture, which gave users the power to not only create but share the content across the platforms. This renamed the web as ‘Read-Write’ web. With this, the whole content creation as a business came to life.

But things were good until now, then why this Web3, you may ask. And the answer to this is Centralisation and Monetisation. Privacy wasn’t a big deal until now, but now that these tech giants such as Meta and Google are misusing it for making millions of it, it has sparked curiosity amongst users for protecting it. These platforms work as an intermediary between the content ‘creator’ and ‘consumer’. But the thing to ponder upon is that these tech giants leverage the creator’s effort behind the content and the consumer’s time regarding consuming the content

All these sudden privacy concerns sparked a need for “ownership” concerns. And Web3 made it possible.

Web3 as a Messiah

The Web which was once just an escape from the boring chores of people now holds the potential to provide a thousand-dollar career. The Creator economy surged due to an increase in internet accessibility and plenty of free time to cut during the lockdown.

Hence, content took a huge leap of faith for creators. But creating something online remains on the platform, and if the platform itself gets wiped out just as in the case of ‘TikTok’ in India, what about the content? What about the efforts that go behind making a 30-second video? What about the million views it got? That goes in vain with the platform.

Here’s when the ‘ownership’ becomes not just a necessity but a need for the creators. Web3 allows the users to not only create or consume but rather own the content too. In a way, users will have full control over their created piece of content instead of any centralized platform.

The keyword attached to Web3 is “Decentralisation” which in clear words means freedom. This is achieved through communities called DAO (Decentralised Autonomous Organisations), open protocols, smart contracts, and blockchain networks. Well, these words might sound alien at the moment but it’s the future for sure. The relevance of Web3 is on the rise as its utility is outperforming the current scenarios.

Hence, witnessing the lifecycle of the internet from Web1 to Web3, it evolved into being helpful but complex at the same time. From just consuming to now owning the content as an asset, the web has come a long way but the users need to keep pace with it to leverage it to the fullest. This calls for active involvement in Web3 space to know the basics and then get involved in it by joining communities and being a part of discussions. Early adaption is the secret to getting ahead in life and the world of Web3, now is the time to adapt.

– Vrunda Patel