So far, there are different understandings of the World Wide Web (WWW), though not all seem accurate. Before understanding Web 3.0 and the rumors, it is essential to understand Web 1.0 and Web 2.0, how they work, and the pros and cons of all Web 3.0.

Web 1.0

Many other names are associated with Web 1.0, like the read-only Web. The term refers to the first WorldWideWeb project; the most common usage was providing information to consumers. Most businesses and other informative sources put their data on the Web such that people can search and find and read the data. 

Some characteristics are associated with Web 1.0, which are ad-free websites meaning that advertisements were banned. It could be a rare occasion to see any ads on those websites, or the lack of user-generated content was also a characteristic of the first Web. Simple HTML was the main source code for the websites, while they mainly had static page formats. 

Web 1.0 was the primary format of the Internet from 1991 to 2004. 

Web 2.0

In 2004 the concept of Web 2.0 was defined by Dale Dougherty. Web 2.0 became a revolutionary solution for users and creators, businesses and consumers, readers and writers. It changed the internet rules so that 250,000 websites became 80,000,000 in only 2006. It attracted users, and on the same date, 45 million global users became 1 billion or more. 

Early social media platforms appeared on Web 2.0, the main reason behind the sudden popularity increase. Facebook, Youtube, chats, and forums appeared, thus fostering user-generated content to flow in the veins of the Internet. Sharing opinions, live streaming, chatting, and many other integrations were implemented, which kept the growth of popularity. Internet-based purchases, the first online transactions, e-commerce, and finally, Blockchain appeared.

Web 3.0

The next generation of the internet phase can be called Web 3.0. Based on decentralization and user utilization, Web 3.0 will be a user-managed platform rather than a creator. Nowadays, when people use social media or other websites for daily basic internet activities, some of their data can be collected and stored in databases forever. At the same time, Web 3 promises to give and handle the security of each user.

NFTs, Cryptos, and Blockchain are most likely to be crucial in the web phase. Imagine a web where you can acquire any platform, becoming the one who manages, controls, and generates the content. All of these can be available if you become a so-called “Stockholder” of the platform. These stocks can be acquired via famous Cryptos, tokens, and NFTs, allowing you to have your input on the Web. 

Metaverse integration can become the top priority in the web phase, thus ensuring a user-friendly environment and decentralized ownership. If you are attentive enough, you can already notice the internet culture and apps changes in the last three years. New secured browsers, intelligent AIs with perfect-match algorithms, optimized search results depending on your preferences and not only.

Machine learning and AI are the key players in Web 3.0. Imagine a situation where you want to buy a car with the corresponding budget. In Web 2.0 (now), if you search for a vehicle within your budget range, you will get all possible results that may match your criteria, yet only some of them can be useful. In Web 3.0, AI may analyze all your previous experiences, car searches, annual income, locations, and even gas preferences and bring you the best possible results, which are most likely to be the best options for your purchase. 

To sum up, for Web 3.0, let’s bring up some benefits and disadvantages that the phase can bring to our daily lives and future.

Pros

• Reliable and data-safe environment for users, 
• Overall control from the user perspective, without “big” corporations handling the Internet,
• Increased utilization for users, providing personalized and unique content for anyone anywhere,
• In a decentralized environment and safe range, interruptions are less likely to occur because of the data handling from several users and not from one centralized entity. 

Cons

• Regulation issues from both government and user sides. Web 3.0 is expected the use blockchain-based technologies where no data can be removed or modified.
• Web 3.0 may be harder to handle for old devices if integrating the AI and ML processes requires device processors rather than cloud solutions.
• Existing users and owners of the websites are most likely to be forced to update their protocols which can cause the loss of both customers and ownerships. 

Eventually, Web 3 is a phase that can change the notion and understanding of web processes. As many suggest, Web 3 is inevitable, and the integration process is already an ongoing situation with thousands of apps, websites, and protocols already being migrated. Yet, those changes are unseen and take a minor part of the WorldWideWeb. 

© Edgar Meliksetyan