First, there was the web1, theInternet that we all know and love. Then there was the user-generated web2, heralded by the arrival of social media and blogging. Today on the social networks, people are talking about web3 (or web 3.0), the internet’s supposed next big leap forward. But what is it exactly? Web3 is currently in development and not yet exactly defined. However, the basic principle is that it will be decentralized rather than controlled by governments and corporations as is the case with the current Internet and, to some extent, it will be linked to the ” metaverse “.
Web3 and semantic web
To avoid confusion, it should be mentioned that until a few years ago the term “web 3.0″ was frequently used to describe what is now known as the ” semantic web “. It was a concept proposed by the father of the internet », Tim Berners-Lee, for a machine-to-machine Internet. However, Berners-Lee’s concepts are considered part of what we now call web3, but not all of it.
Web3, a decentralized web
Today, all of the infrastructure of popular dating sites and places where we spend time online is generally owned by corporations and to some extent controlled by regulations set by governments. This is because it was the easiest way to build a network infrastructure : someone pays to install servers and install software that people want to access online, then either charges them to use them or lets them use them for free, as long as its rules are followed.
Today there are other options, and in particular the technology blockchain. The blockchain is a relatively new method of storing data online, which revolves around two fundamental concepts: encryption and distributed computing.
- the encryption means that data stored on a blockchain can only be viewed by people who have permission to do so, even if it is stored on a computer owned by someone else, such as a government or a company.
- Distributed computing means that the file is shared among many computers or servers. If a particular copy of the file does not match all other copies, the data in that file is invalid. This adds another layer of protection, which means that no one other than the person who controls the data can access or modify it without permission from the person who owns it or the entire distributed network.
Together, these concepts mean that data can be stored in such a way that it is never under the control of the person who owns it, even if it is stored on a server owned by a company or under the control of a local administration. The owner or the government can never access or modify the data without the keys of encryption which prove that he is the owner. And even if he closes or deletes his server, the data is still accessible on one of the many other computers on which it is stored.
The role of the metaverse in Web3
The last important web3 concept we need to cover is the metaverse. With respect to web3, the term ” metaverse denotes the next iteration of the web front end (front end) : I’user interface by which we interact with the online world, communicate with other users and manipulate data.
The idea of the metaverse is that it will be a much more immersive, social, and persistent version of the internet as we know it. It will use technologies such as virtual reality and augmented reality to allow us to interact with the domain digital in a more natural and immersive way. For example, using virtual hands to grasp and manipulate objects, and our voices to give instructions to machines or talk to other people.
In many ways, the metaverse can be thought of as the interface through which humans will engage with the tools and apps from web3. It is possible to create web3 applications without the metaverse being involved: Bitcoin is an example. Metaverse technology and experiences will play an important role in how many of these applications will interact with our lives.
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