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Web 2.0, as it is known, introduced us to social media networks such as Facebook and MySpace and platforms such as YouTube that allowed ordinary internet users to easily publish their content.
But behind these exciting smartphone apps, embedded videos, and user-facing platforms were carefully constructed business frameworks that tracked, analyzed, and monetized every user interaction.
Most of us are already aware of this manipulation and the threat of our private data being sold and possibly leaked to the public.
A more under-discussed legacy of Web 2.0 is the mental health implications of doomsday scrolling and the complex algorithms behind this construct that are causing serious mental strain for many of us.
The dark side of Web 2.0
The Web 2.0 model is not all bad. Targeted advertising allows users to discover products and services that bring tangible benefits to their lives.
However, in most jurisdictions, Internet users do not have an opt-in option for how and who uses their private information.
Even after the EU implemented the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) in 2018 to protect individual online rights and privacy, insiders believe relevant violations occur at most technology companies.
In addition to complex algorithms that trigger emotional responses that lead to scrolling addictions and mental burnout, state-sponsored and non-state actors actively manipulate news feeds with bots that spew propaganda.
Between the overload of ads, provocative content, the blurring of real and fake, and deliberately confusing interfaces, the average Internet user suffers from “information chaos,” which can lead to stress and anxiety for many.
While social scientists and academics have done so documented Due to the impact of social media on mental health, little is being done to address the information chaos and the burden of Web 2.0’s intense emotional aftertaste.
However, these factors consistently result in chronic fatigue, depression and social isolation contribute to a decrease in overall quality of life.
The constant wait for content to load, slow response times to tech support, and the mind-numbing toxicity of endless social media scrolling rob users of valuable time and energy that could be spent more productively or enjoyably.
Micro-tensions which people probably don’t notice when they’re online an accumulation and lead to serious psychological and physical problems.
In some circumstances this manifests itself in a similar way to the effects caused by alcohol and drugs.
Because Web 2.0 is against the interests of the user and in favor of Big Tech and other companies, a fundamental change in the way Internet technologies are designed and implemented is urgently needed.
The introduction of blockchain technology and smart contracts added an element of decentralization that counters the power of Big Tech, ushering in the Web 3.0 era, using a token-based economy to drive participation.
Although blockchain and Web 3.0 have achieved a lot, this may not be enough to compete with the Web 2.0 structure.
Blockchain plus AI equals Web 4.0
However, Web 3.0 provides an important building block for those advocating an Internet that puts user interests above corporate profit margins.
‘Web4’ aims to empower the user by alleviating the cognitive overload and mental burden of Web 2.0 that leaves a negative emotional impression.
Web 4.0 represents the natural progression of the Internet developer-led revolution that combines blockchain technology and smart contracts with powerful AI and AGI (artificial general intelligence) to improve user interactions with digital services.
With blockchain’s ability to facilitate secure data ownership and communication alongside diverse and rapidly advancing AI capabilities, Web 4.0 will free users from routine tasks while minimizing the stressors associated with Web 2.0.
At the heart of this transformation is a global AI layer as the foundation for Web 4.0, which will function as a truly decentralized and open-source ecosystem where users can easily access a range of services and applications, creating one integrated solution.
Access to Web 4.0 platforms, services or applications depends on following the ‘three seconds or three clicks’ principle, which ensures maximum efficiency of any access to information or a task.
Thanks to optimized AI-powered interfaces that can anticipate a user’s needs, this principle ensures that all services and applications within the Web 4.0 ecosystem are delivered quickly without information overload.
By building on the decentralized principles and capabilities of Web 3.0 These create trust rather than centralization By equipping it with advanced AI systems, Web 4.0 promises to make our lives more efficient and less stressful.
Web 4.0 allows us to reimagine social media platforms that can only function if they eliminate intrusive advertising and excessive notifications and provide streamlined access to necessary information.
This vision offers users a new standard of communication that doesn’t make them feel like they’re in the middle of a corporate competition.
The overarching theme behind the Web 4.0 movement is to build a people-centric online environment in which every participating service must adhere to the principles of transparency, fairness, speed and stress minimization.
The decentralized development of ethical AI models and tools ensures security and transparency, allowing a new internet paradigm to take shape.
By not only making information more accessible and tedious tasks easier to perform, Web 4.0 gives users a faster, more secure, and more transparent source for Internet interactions.
Web 4.0 envisions an internet where decentralization is achieved not only through blockchain, but also through the integration of AI agents capable of performing specific, targeted tasks efficiently and without unnecessary overload or spam.
These intelligent agents will act as personalized assistants, handling routine activities seamlessly while ensuring a streamlined and stress-free experience for users.
This approach eliminates the intrusive and chaotic nature of traditional Web 2.0 systems and provides a cleaner, more purposeful interaction that respects user preferences and time.
Achieving a true transition to Web 4.0 will prove difficult and may take some time, but the growing synergies between blockchain, smart contracts and rapidly advancing AI tools offer hope.
Communicating and advocating for this user-centric technology will put pressure on Big Tech and governments to address the problems of Web 2.0, creating the necessary momentum to fuel a true Web 4.0 revolution.
Peter Ionov is the CEO and founder of GT protocol. He is a Ukrainian entrepreneur, engineer and inventor who heads several other companies, including Robosoft and Ukr Reklama. Peter is paving the way in the field of Web 4.0, robotics and AI.
Featured image: Shutterstock/jamesteohart/Natalia Siiatovskaia/Andy Chipus
Credit : dailyhodl.com
