Internet inventor Tim Berners-Lee needs to rescue his creation from centralization. However does he align himself with Web3’s promise of salvation?
At TNW Conference, the pc scientist gave a word-one reply:
“Nope.”
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That snub could appear to conflict with Berners-Lee’s current actions. The 67-year-old now campaigns to save lots of his “dysfunctional” brainchild from the clutches of Huge Tech.
He’s also made a cool $5.4million by promoting an NFT — considered one of Web3’s supposed pillars.
However the Brit has his personal imaginative and prescient for the online’s successor: a decentralized structure that provides customers management of their data.
Berners-Lee wish to construct it on a platform he calls Solid — however you may name it Internet 3.0.
“We did speak about it as Internet 3.0 at one level, as a result of Internet 2.0 was a time period used for the dysfunction of what occurs with user-generated content material on the massive platforms,” he mentioned.
“Folks have referred to as that Internet 2.0, so if you wish to name this Internet 3.0, then okay.”
On the blockchain, it simply doesn’t work.
Berners-Lee shares Web3’s purported mission of transferring knowledge from Huge Tech to the individuals. However he’s taking a unique path to the goal.
Whereas Web3 is predicated on blockchain, Strong is constructed with customary internet instruments and open specs.
Non-public info is saved in decentralized knowledge shops referred to as “pods,” which could be hosted wherever the person needs. They’ll then select which apps can entry their knowledge.
This method goals to offer interoperability, velocity, scalability, and privateness.
“Whenever you attempt to construct that stuff on the blockchain, it simply doesn’t work,” mentioned Berners-Lee.
Berners-Lee says Strong serves two separate functions. One is stopping firms from misusing our knowledge for unsolicited functions, from manipulating voters to producing clickbait.
The opposite is offering alternatives to learn from our info.
Healthcare knowledge, as an illustration, may very well be shared throughout trusted companies to enhance our remedy and help medical analysis.
Our pictures, in the meantime, may very well be provided to Fb buddies, LinkedIn colleagues, and Flickr followers with out having to add the photographs to every platform.
This evokes Berners-Lee’s unique goal to make the online a collaborative device.
“I wished to have the ability to resolve issues when a part of the answer is in my head and a part of the answer is in your head, and also you’re on the opposite aspect of the planet — linked by the web,” he mentioned.
“That was the type of factor I wished the online for. It took off extra as a publishing medium — however all just isn’t misplaced.”
Strong is but to show ab efficient treatment, however the internet’s father nonetheless believes his wayward baby can get again on the straight-and-narrow.
