Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee wants to rescue his creation from centralization.
But does he align himself with Web3s promise of salvation?
AtTNW Conference, the computer scientist gave a one-word answer:
Nope.
That snub may seem to clash with Berners-Lees recent actions.
The 67-year-old now campaigns to savehis dysfunctional brainchildfrom the clutches of Big Tech.
It’s free, every week, in your inbox.
Hesalso made a cool $5.4millionby selling anNFT one of Web3s supposed pillars.
Berners-Lee want to build it on a platform he callsSolid but you’re able to call it Web3.0.
People have called that Web 2.0, so if you want to call this Web 3.0, then okay.
On the blockchain, it just doesnt work.
Berners-Lee shares Web3s purported mission of transferring data from Big Tech to the people.
But hes taking a different route to the target.
While Web3 is based onblockchain, Solid is built with standard web tools and open specifications.
Private information is stored in decentralized data stores called pods, which can be hosted wherever the user wants.
They can then choose which apps can access their data.
This approach aims to provide interoperability, speed, scalability, and privacy.
When you attempt to build that stuff on the blockchain, it just doesnt work, said Berners-Lee.
Berners-Lee says Solid serves two separate purposes.
One is preventing companies from misusing our data for unsolicited purposes, frommanipulating votersto generating clickbait.
The other is providing opportunities to benefit from our information.
This evokes Berners-Lees original aim to make the web a collaborative tool.
That was the sort of thing I wanted the web for.
It took off more as a publishing medium but all is not lost.
Story byThomas Macaulay
Thomas is the managing editor of TNW.
He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers.
Away from work, he e(show all)Thomas is the managing editor of TNW.
He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers.
Away from work, he enjoys playing chess (badly) and the guitar (even worse).
