The Difference of Web2 and Web3 — Less Jargon

In the previous blog, I wrote a letter to my mom telling her a brief introduction to web3 and blockchain. That was how the conversation went when we talked about it. She is still processing the information.

This blog is the second letter to mom. We haven’t spoken about this but I realized I find it so easy to explain everything when I imagine her face while writing.

Hahahahaha.

Okay, first question:

What is the current state of web2?

Web2 is the internet as we know it today. We socialize with other people through platforms. Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and other social media platforms are one of the things at the core of web2. It means, like us, people use the internet for the purpose of interacting with other users.

Users can directly create something and comment to other creators within a platform. We build relationships with each other while our content is moderated, too..

In order to access the tools that we want to use, the companies who own them keep our private information. We are asked to input our name, email, and password. In every platform that we use, we do this. That is why there are so many email subscriptions. I decided to make one that will be used to try a platform or a tool.

Okay, next.

What were the problems of web2?

One problem that is kind of a big deal for me as a user is: our information can be sold. Businesses can gain profit from the accounts that are signed up to their applications and tools without us knowing. Our data like email can be sold to new applications so that they can have a new list on their database.

Another thing is, like you, mom, many people are not aware of this. Yes, that includes me. Some people have tied up their bank accounts to the emails they use on every platform. They also use the same password.

Basically, we’re giving away our information. We, users, have little ownership.

Even on the things we put out. For example, the content you put out in your Facebook account, is held and kept by Facebook, and not by you.

Information is centralized.

What solutions did web3 provide?

The biggest thing that web3 differs from web2 is this: Web3 has a decentralized way of keeping information. Okay let’s discuss centralized first. Centralized database means there’s only one place to look at all the information in a company.

For example, if your business is a pharmacy, there is just one person who holds the files regarding all your products. We will call him Eddie. Everyone who needs data on products will go to Eddie and ask him. You trust that Eddie is doing his job in safely keeping the information.

It is like a library of all our data as users, kept in one place. That is centralized information. It is kept by one server. When you blow up that server, the record is blown to pieces.

That is not how web3 works. Remember how blockchain works? That is how your data is secured in web3. Blockchain records and keeps your data and updates every block that your information has been added to. That information is then duplicated to the entire network of blockchain nodes from different locations.

When a hacker tries to alter one block of information, it will immediately be different with the other copies, alerting the network.

Any transaction you do on web3 is recorded on your wallet which is held in a blockchain. Your transactions are kept and updated real time. The time is also recorded just like what they do in offices when you submit a file. You record what date and time you received that report. Right?.

The downside is you cannot change the information once it has been added to the blockchain. You cannot modify transactions.

Regarding social media on web3, when you create content, your content is piled up in your wallet. You own your content and it is recorded in the blockchain. Since there is no one moderating the content, the risk of fake news and violent content is higher.

Transactions use cryptocurrency. We can discuss that later. This is okay for now.