Web 5 & the future of the Internet
My scratchy #sketchnotes from </de_CENTRALIZED> session on Web5 at The Cannon Community West in Houston. It was hosted by Margaret Passe and “Polycarb Nakamoto,” the entity behind a Darth Vader-esque mask.
This meetup discussion explored the Web5 promise to:
Give individuals complete control over their data, identity, and finances
Eliminate intermediaries (AWS, Apple, Meta, Google, et al.) altogether
Decentralize identity technology and verifiable credentials
Soooo.....
What is Web5 (vs. Web1-4) and how might it empower users to decide how their data is used and shared?
How will individuals securely own and manage their personal information across platforms without dependency on centralized entities?
How might we place individuals at the center of the internet?
Polycarb Nakamoto — named in honor of “Satoshi Nakamoto” a pseudonym used by the author of the bitcoin white paper published in 2008 — had portable, off-grid “nodes” on display as examples of the basic component for mesh, peer-to-peer networks which can be deployed anywhere for a distributed, decentralized network.
More at: https://calltheoperator.wordpress.com/
Along with “blockchain” and "AI" many of us have heard these terms for years.
However, as an artist who gets to draw while smart people talk about tech, these have all just been vocabulary words.
Until now! I did, however, learn some new terms:
Fedimint — a federation of guardians to custody funds (instead of a centralized actor like a bank) which is deployed on a small scale, functioning like community banks for local groups with robust circular economies.
Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) — a way to identify yourself on the internet without using a central authority, like a government or a company. For example, identifying yourself without an email address, social security number, or government ID.
Verifiable Credential (VC) — a tamper-proof digital file that contains verified information about a person, organization, or thing... such as an identity document, academic degree, professional license, or background check result.
BTW It was my first time at The Cannon West and I was sooooo impressed by the spacious design, atrium meeting space, and constellation of startups and corporate offices.
However, I wish that ALL of these “collaborative spaces” also had open design-thinking tools like re-configurable whitewall breakouts, more plants, and rapid prototyping for large-scale, facilitated design sessions with groups.
