The Dark side of the World Wide Web

From the rigid structure of Web 1.0 to the introduction to web applications of Web 2.0, it is hard to imagine that there could be anything better than Web 3.0. Web 1.0 focus was webmasters putting content on sites. Although users were able to comment on these information websites, it often slowed the site down therefore unavailable. With Web 2.0 it’s not about the changes you can see but more about what you can do. Web 2.0 is the introduction of web applications like Google Docs where software is located on online servers. Another difference is the flow of information. Web 1.0 was mostly only used to browse for content while Web 2.0 made it possible for the user to create the content.  Web 2.0 made it much more common and easier for a user to have a social networking page. Blogging is an example of how information was much easier to broadcast to a larger audience. Some disadvantages of Web 2.0 especially in journalism is users putting wrong and misinformed content online. This effects the credibility and ethics of internet content. Another disadvantage is censorship, where judgment of internet content is made by the users. Tim Berners-Lee, The creator of the World Wide Web, suggests that “the Web as a whole can be designed more intelligently to be more intuitive about how to serve a user's needs.” Web 3.0, the next generation of the World Wide Web will not only analyze a user’s searches but predict them before they even happen. Web 3.0 will act like a user’s personal assistant and you could ask your browser “what movie should I see” and it will locate the users past records of data and be able to answer.

Web 3.0; Goodbye Siri

Remember that Siri commercial where Zoey Deschanel asked where she could go for soup on a rainy day? If you thought that was impressive be prepared, Web 3.0 is almost here.

Web 2.0 can be described as a way for users to share information quickly with others, while Web 1.0 was simply just publishing information with users being able to share it. There was little communication with 1.0.

Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web in 1989, refers to Web 3.0 as the Semantic Web. Semantic Web is data driven web. The Semantic Web will allow computers to “read” the web.

Because computers can’t process relationships or image like humans can, the Semantic Web will be able to use tools on the web to interpret information for the user.

Imagine a rainy day, much like the situation Zoey Deschanel was in, wondering where you should get some soup. Web 3.0, knowing your likes dislikes and location, knows exactly what kind of soup you want and from where without even asking.

Today, a Web Engine Search only uses keywords of a search. With Web 3.0 , a browser will know the content of a search and suggest relevant content based on your search. For example if you type in a vacation to Italy, not only will it include hotels in Italy but restaurants and tours as well.

Let’s say you want to buy the “Game of Thrones” trilogy. You would look it up online and find a retailer that was relatively cheap and reliable. With the Semantic Web, you could enter your preferences and it will have your item mailed to you, and also enter the delivery date into your calendar as well.

Services like Pandora and Amazon have already provided content based on user input.

As technology grows, privacy concerns grow as well. Web 3.0 is a database of a user’s personal preferences and likes and dislikes. Will this information be kept private? Unfortunately this question won’t be answered until Web 3.0 is generated and by then it might be too late.