Web4, The Public Interest Web
Time for a New Web
The question of whether we can reform a system from within is not new. Were the French and Russian Revolutions endogenous or exogenous? One could make the point that by overthrowing existing regimes, these revolutions were exogenous to absolutist monarchy and capitalism. On the other hand, both reflected domestic power struggles at a moment of economic crisis and widespread poverty and inequity. Therefore, they are endogenous to the two countries where they happened. The developing countries neoliberal reforms of the 80s and 90s are broadly viewed as exogenous shocks imposed by international financial institutions like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. They came about, however, in the wake of the debt crisis upon the exhaustion of the import substitution industrial policy. The environment was one of uncompetitive protected industries which perpetuated social and economic inequality. In all cases, internal and external forces conspired to bring about change.
We are at the end of the third decade of the Web, and I can see similar endogenous and exogenous dynamics building the case for change.
Within the technology industry itself, the speed of change accelerated and the hype about generative AI has brought existential questions about the survival of humankind to the forefront. Whether you believe that these are valid philosophical arguments or yet another way to garner attention amid the cacophony of voices in today's media, the current debate has brought the public into the discussion about the ethical usage of emerging technologies.
From outside of the industry, pressure is building for regulation to curb misinformation excesses and mitigate future risks. It looks like the Web is in crisis with increasing pressure upon the large platforms that hold power over commodified consumers.
In the early to mid-90s, the world wide web emerged representing a pervasive means to democratize information access. That read-only Web was a far cry from what we saw in the earlier part of the new century. By 2004 we were talking about Web 2.0, social media, the internet as a platform, and an explosion of user-generated content and advertisement-based business models. With our personal data, we became “the product.” By 2014, decentralized versions of the internet started to emerge based on blockchain technology. Much was said about how Web3 would give power back to users and steer it away from the tech giants. We barely had time to digest the spectacular crypto markets implosion when generative AI took over (*).
Scientists asked for a pause in AI development. Countries and States launched regulatory efforts. Politicians tried to frame the issue according to their geo-political and values agendas. One way of aligning the profit interest of corporations and the public interest is through regulation that corrects or mitigate market failures. Self-regulation (regulating from within) is important but not sufficient. Much like what Europe is doing with its Digital Services Act and the proposed AI Act, we need to address the issue in the United States.
As we have seen with other revolutions, whether they start from within the system or from outside of it, they brew upon a substrate of social and economic inequity and inequality. We are already there. It is time to reignite the debate for a Public Interest Web4.
This article represents my personal views. It does not represent the views of any companies I have been or am presently affiliated with.