Web3 — creating problems where we need solutions

A presentation at Smashing Meets For Good: Ethics in the digital world by Laura Kalbag

Web3: Creating problems where we need solutions

Web3: Creating problems where we need solutions

The next big era of the web?

The next big era of the web?

Web 2.0

Web 2.0

Web 1.0

Web 1.0

Web3

Web3

Centralisation vs decentralisation

Centralisation vs decentralisation

Centralisation

Centralisation

Decentralisation

Decentralisation

What is Web3?

What is Web3?

Blockchains

Blockchains

“Verifiable”

“Verifiable”

“On the blockchain”

“On the blockchain”

“Trustless”

“Trustless”

Antiregulation

Antiregulation

Token economy

Token economy

DAOs & dApps

DAOs & dApps

DAOs

DAOs

Are DAOs really that different from existing established structures?

Are DAOs really that different from existing established structures?

dApps

dApps

A system focused on financial reward

A system focused on financial reward

The environmental issue

The environmental issue

The web already isn’t great for the environment.

The web already isn’t great for the environment.

Proof of work

Proof of work

Mining

Mining

Proof of work vs Proof of stake

Proof of work vs Proof of stake

Clean energy isn’t what’s making people invest in cryptocurrencies.

Clean energy isn’t what’s making people invest in cryptocurrencies.

NFTs

NFTs

Web3 isn’t decentralising wealth.

Web3 isn’t decentralising wealth.

You are your wallet.

You are your wallet.

“Permissionless”

“Permissionless”

We do need more transparency in some places…

We do need more transparency in some places…

What else is Web3?

What else is Web3?

The metaverse

The metaverse

Who gains from Web3?

Who gains from Web3?

Companies

Companies

Venture capitalists

Venture capitalists

Early adopters

Early adopters

There is nothing wrong with wanting a fairer alternative.

There is nothing wrong with wanting a fairer alternative.

We need decentralisation.

We need decentralisation.

Your alternative has to be genuinely equitable.

Your alternative has to be genuinely equitable.

Web3 is not inclusive.

Web3 is not inclusive.

Your community must be accessible and inclusive.

Your community must be accessible and inclusive.

A toxic community is a red flag

A toxic community is a red flag

There is a better way; we’ve just not got there yet.

There is a better way; we’ve just not got there yet.

What are the problems we actually need to solve?

What are the problems we actually need to solve?

Decentralisation

Decentralisation

Web0

Web0

Web3 is clever branding

Web3 is clever branding

Thank you!

Thank you!

Web3 is one of Silicon Valley’s latest buzzwords, hoping to become a movement. Blockchains, cryptocurrencies, the metaverse, and NFTs may paint themselves as futuristic solutions to tech and society’s problems, but who really benefits from their use? We need to confront the harms of Web3. But first, we need to understand them. In this talk, Laura will explain the technologies behind Web3, why she believes they raise serious ethical questions, and how they are not the alternative to Big Tech we need.