The internet can be a great place to learn about the world, connect with friends and family, or even just unwind and have some fun.
As wonderful as it is, certain corporations aim to make that process more constricted in an attempt to control your data, leading to a less-than-democratic process.
Keep reading to find out how the digital sausage is made and discover why a decentralized internet is more important than ever!
Isn’t the Internet Already Decentralized?
You shouldn’t be faulted for thinking that the internet is already decentralized. After all, users can already go just about anywhere on the web that they please.
So, who controls the internet? Internet service providers like Xfinity and AT&T.
While you have the freedom to choose your ISP, it’s worth keeping in mind that these companies can choose to do whatever they want with your web traffic.
Moreover, not everybody has the ability to choose their ISP. In some rural areas, it’s almost impossible to get reliable internet. And if you can, there’s likely only one service provider for the entire area, essentially creating a localized monopoly.
Likewise, your data isn’t private. Your browsing habits and cookie collections belong to the ISPs you pay each month. They, in turn, sell this data to corporations for a big payday.
You can read more here to learn why a centralized internet isn’t necessarily what’s best for citizens and how consumer data often falls into the wrong hands.
What Does a “Decentralized Internet” Mean and Look Like?
The biggest perk of decentralized internet comes from an abundance of privacy and data ownership.
Right now, while you’re reading this very article, web trackers from dozens of websites you’ve visited before are tracking everything from how much time you spend on a webpage to what you search for.
None of that occurs on a decentralized web. Instead, your data is yours and yours alone, and there’s no threat of traffic bottlenecking or censorship.
What’s Keeping the Web From Being Decentralized?
This is another question that could take hours to answer, particularly since it’s an issue that evolves all the time.
The biggest issue facing a free and open internet right now comes from lobbyists, whose entire job is to convince the government that their way is the only way to run the internet.
Of course, since they’re paid directly by their ISP clients, it’s easy to see how they don’t exactly have the best of intentions for the American people.
For a better look at how this process has — and continues — to play out, all you have to do is read the news. Reports show that ISPs paid lobbyists $235 million to kill Net Neutrality, which was a major plan to keep the internet open and free from monopolies.
Everything You Need to Know About the Decentralized Web
As society becomes increasingly reliant on the web, the need for a decentralized internet is greater than ever. Unfortunately, whether we’ll achieve such a goal is unclear.
In the meantime, you can write your representatives and tell them you want a fair and open internet.
You can also check out our tech content to learn how you can keep your data in your hands.
