Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 are terms used to refer to succeeding versions of the web instead of the original Web 1.0, which was developed in the 1990s. While we are all aware of the current version of the internet (a phrase that is sometimes used interchangeably with the web), Web 3.0 indicates the next phase of the internet’s development which will differ from web 2.0 significantly.
In this article we try to under what the future of internet holds and how it will be different from its predecessor.
What exactly is Web 2.0?
The second wave of interoperable Internet services is referred to as Web 2.0. After years of being confined to the role of a material consumer, users now have the chance to create content on their own and share it with other site visitors (user-generated content). As a result, a whole sector of activity was digitized, leading to the commercialization of the internet, or else faced the prospect of extinction. Retail, banking, advertising, media, and entertainment are examples of industries.
It also served as the foundation for developing social networks as virtual communication platforms. It may encompass any engagement, from written blogs to audio podcasts, from RSS feeds to ubiquitous tags that help you access information more effectively, depending on your preferences. Apple, Amazon, Google, and the other members of the FAANG group are prime examples of the Web 2.0 movement.
What exactly is Web 3.0?
Web 3.0 also termed as Web3 is a significant step forward from web 2.0 since both the backend and the infrastructure are undergoing development. The term web 3 was first coined by Gavin Wood, co-founder of Ethereum in year 2014. This version of the internet, also known as the Semantic Web, uses a sophisticated metadata system that organizes and legibly arranges all types of material by computers and people.
The most significant benefit of web 3.0 is that the information will be universal and accessible to anybody, so there will be no more hours spent filtering through the material to locate what you are looking for. You may be wondering how it manages to overcome the shortcomings of web 2.0.
On the other hand, artificial intelligence and blockchain based decentralized networks are the cornerstones of Web 3.0. Artificial intelligence (AI) allows machine-to-machine contact, sophisticated analytics, and other intellectual processes that were previously unattainable on the web. Furthermore, Artificial intelligence is becoming more critical in business.
On the other side, decentralized networks force information to the edges, where it may be found by the entities who possess it. This method gives entities the ability to own their data and selects how it may be shared, giving birth to an ideology known as the Self-Sovereign Identity.
Web 2.0 Characteristics
- Access to online information is possible through various devices, including mobile devices, tablets, televisions, video game consoles, and even a kettle that is linked to the internet.
- Dynamic content is specifically built to function in CTA(Call-to-action) mode compared to static first-generation web pages.
- Participants in content production include those who not only share and comment on articles and videos but also create material on their behalf.
- A particular “intermediary” – a controlling platform – is involved in the data transmission process.
- API development to allow for interoperability across various applications.
Web 3.0 Characteristics.
Here’s a brief rundown of some of the key characteristics of Web 3.0.
- Content can be readily accessed, shared, and evaluated by both computers and people because of the Semantic Web’s ability to comprehend word meanings.
- The use of artificial intelligence allows for the provision of relevant results fast and the provision of insights at rates that are hard for humans to match.
- Has the capacity to harness the power of 3D graphics and images to enhance the user experience.
- Advanced authorization measures like encryption and distributed ledger technology (DLTs) safeguard user identification and data.
- Ensures the highest possible levels of security and privacy
- Non-Fungible Tokens(NFTs), Metaverse and DAOs are this next evolutionary phase of the internet.
Significant distinctions between Web 2.0 and Web 3.0
Ideas govern the display of content. In other words, the primary purpose of Web 2.0 was to bring people together around data that they were interested in, and the primary goal of Web 3.0 is to integrate this data in meaningful ways while enhancing confidence in information as a result of the well-known decentralization. As a result, the communities that were organically formed with Web 2.0 with Web 3.0 dissolve to customize information and extend possibilities and rights, respectively. And this led to the following distinction.
The Principle of Content Ownership
The rise of Web 2.0 saw the network take on the duty of data storage on its own, resulting in increased access challenges and concerns about the security and confidentiality of online data in general. This difficulty was rectified by Web 3.0, which allows for the flexibility of data interchange, which may now occur at several locations simultaneously. Web 2.0 transfers, on the other hand, are still much quicker than Web 3.0 transfers.
Internet-connected machines utilize HTTP in unique web addresses to access data kept in one central place, often on a single server, in Web 2.0 environments. However, since information will be discovered based on its substance in Web 3.0, it may be kept in several locations simultaneously and, consequently, be decentralized; this is not in the interests of the Internet giants, who are opposed to this.
An organization’s network can be either fully controlled or fully autonomous, depending on its degree of centralization and decentralization.
Types of applications
Podcasts, blogs, and video sites are examples of Web 2.0 content. In general, any piece of information may be classified as self-produced content and user communication, which can include any data. These will consist of AI and machine learning-powered apps (dApps), such as multi-user virtual worlds, 3D portals, and integrated games, available on the Web 3.0 platform.
Routes used by users to get information
The Web 2.0 platform is compatible with interactive advertising, while the “successor” platform is compatible with behavioral advertising. Because of a regulating body in the first scenario, there is some degree of moderation, but this is nearly impossible in the second case, i.e., Web 3.0.
Underlying Technologies
Compared to the previous iteration, the second one had to make significant strides ahead to face new problems, the most important of which was to encourage the exchange of material rather than merely its consumption. AJAX and JavaScript, CSS3, and HTML5 are most often mentioned when discussing Web 2.0 technology.
Furthermore, artificial intelligence research saw a boom, which could not help but impact Web 3.0, which was intended to function as a dependable “shelter” of information on the one hand and a content quality booster on the other, as well as a content quality booster. Machine learning, deep learning, semantic web, and decentralized protocols are the most critical technologies driving Web 3.0 forward.
Closing thoughts
Despite the fact that Web 3.0 is still in its infancy, major tech companies are leaped in to make the most of this next era of the internet. It indicates the tremendous opportunity and benefits that Web 3.0 have over its predecessor, Web 2.0. The major distinction between these two is the way users interact with the web, share content, and control their privacy. While Web 2.0 is owned by centralized organizations such as Facebook and Google, Web 3.0 is built on a foundation of decentralization and democratization.
Web 3.0 gives individuals several options that are not accessible via any other media, including the capacity to communicate with one another. It ensures independence and liberty for the individual. While Web 3.0 has many advantages over Web 2.0, it is not devoid of imperfection. Controlling the rampant abuse that could prevail due to the lack of a robust centralized authority would be a significant challenge for this upcoming decentralized web era.