The history of humanity is divided into at least two phases, as has also happened with the internet – which now has a third era on the horizon. Web3 promises to make the internet a free place and end the monopoly of big techs . Will she be able to achieve this feat? And what is her relationship with the crypto world?
We’ve prepared this content with the information you should keep in mind about this new phase of digital history. Find out how Web3 will work, its main challenges and the best way to start using it.
What is Web3?
Web 3.0 represents the next phase in the evolution of the world wide web. Its main objective is to operate in a disruptive and decentralized way with regard to the control of data and other information.
The concept behind this evolution is to give greater openness and decision-making power to users, and this will be possible thanks to an old acquaintance of the crypto world: the blockchain . It is through its expansion and mass adoption that a series of tools and services can be offered without the intermediary of large technology companies.
The main idea of Web3 is to create a digital environment that is more transparent and beneficial to the user , so that he has freedom to create and develop his products. In addition, it will allow direct transactions and a number of other possibilities.
What is the relationship between Web3 and cryptocurrencies?
There is so much talk about Web3 and crypto assets together because the technology behind these two fronts is the same: the blockchain. That is, these services work through a network of encrypted and open-source blocks, which allows for fully decentralized practices.
In this context, assets such as cryptocurrencies , metaverse tokens and NFTs will be the main gateway to the services offered by Web3, since these resources are traded and transacted on blockchain networks.
Web1 and Web2 History
To understand the third age of the Internet, it is also important to understand how we got here. The world wide web is divided into two phases: Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 . See, below, what marks each of these steps.
Web1
Those who experienced the end of the 1990s know well what the Internet was like in the beginning, when the network was traditionally known as a kind of virtual static encyclopedia. At this stage, there was virtually no interaction between content creators and consumers.
Users could only access the web to consume information passively, that is, as if they were reading a book on a tablet or something. Google became the giant it is today thanks to this search and reading engine – even before the algorithms started working in favor of the user.
Web2
Web 2.0 is the way we consume the internet today. It emerged in the early 2000s and has gone through several evolutions, but has always been focused on the interaction between content creators and consumers. In addition, it made room for digital relationships through forums, chats and social networks.
Despite evolving and offering more services to the user, Web2 is dominated by big techs, who control algorithms and data in order to generate income in an orchestrated way. Currently, it is very difficult to imagine a digital service that is not linked to Google, Apple or Facebook, for example.
Advantages of Web3
As Web2 was an era of enormous control by big techs, the decentralized internet model emerged, which motivated the rise of Web3. Its main objective is to break the monopoly of services and give total control to the hands of users, thanks to blockchain technology, which allows free and secure transactions via open code.
For users, Web3 should boost a series of resources in favor of connectivity and financial transactions, giving greater autonomy for product and service contracts to be made directly between creators and customers. For companies, this disruption will require a task force, especially in the area of Marketing.
With Google staying in the background, new strategies will have to be adopted to engage the public, since capturing data will not be allowed by most users. Other advantages of Web3 are:
- Expanded data connection;
- More accurate and personalized results;
- Direct transactions and the use of cryptocurrencies;
- Optimized sharing of information, products and services;
- Constant and collaborative update.
How to access Web3?
The concept of this new internet is still quite recent, so a good deal of knowledge in data engineering, programming and, mainly, open source is required. After all, the first step for you to use decentralized services is through a blockchain network – Ethereum being one of the best known.
For this, you must set up a wallet (wallet) of cryptoassets, as cryptocurrencies are responsible for transactions on the blockchain, while utility tokens serve for the user to actively participate in decision-making and in the development of projects aimed at the Web3.
Another positive point is that you don’t need a specific browser to access Web3. Currently, there are extensions for Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Safari that suit this new system.
Specific browsers – such as Brave and Opera – offer the user the possibility of having full control over their actions from the moment they download the platform. These browsers unite DApps, cryptocurrency wallet, news and educational content in a single space.
Conclusion
Web3 is viewed with enthusiasm on the one hand and concern on the other – and that other side is led by the big techs that are likely to lose their reign. As the technology is still very recent, there are several studies of possibilities to be done, in addition to an adaptation period for the resource to be adopted in mass.
As said, the third phase of the internet is still very restricted to programmers and developers, but in the future, it should be a comprehensive and secure technology that will enable more and more freedom for users.
Decentralization is not perfect and can bring significant legal and regulatory risks as cybercrime and misinformation cases gain traction around the world.
There is no way to point out the future of Web3, but the truth is that the dominance of big techs should not last long.