What is Web 3.0 and how is it used?

Nowadays, with the advance of new technologies, we are visualizing the birth of a new concept: Web 3.0. This new version of the Internet is closely linked to the concept of 'Semantic Web', which, in general terms, seeks to introduce a series of languages and procedures that can interpret certain user characteristics to offer a more personalized interface. Although there is no consensus on the definition of this new term and its implications in the use of the network, there are certain characteristics that help us to shape this concept. What does this newly evolved form of the network offer us?

This Web 3.0 implies the implementation of a common infrastructure that makes machines understand the meaning of the information contained on the Web and, in this way, facilitates and speeds up the work of people, that is, it will allow humans and machines to collaborate more efficiently in the processing of data. The Semantic Web is the new generation of the Web, which attempts to perform automatic and accurate filtering of information. To do this, it is necessary to make the information that resides on the Web understandable by the machines themselves. Especially its content, beyond its simple syntactic structure. But the results that would be obtained in a semantic search engine would be more accurate and useful.

One of the barriers that Web 3.0 is trying to break down is the need for human operators to evaluate and manage content on the Internet. This is not new, since several companies, among which Google stands out for the popularity of its products, have been researching and developing artificial intelligence technologies for years to make browsing increasingly fluid and enriching. We can now access the Internet from a myriad of different devices, and this variety brings with it many new challenges for developers, both in terms of the aesthetics of websites and technical issues related to applications and data transfer. Web 3.0 aims to enable everyone to enjoy the information and tools of the Internet regardless of the device through which we connect, as it seeks flexibility and versatility beyond the barriers of format and structure.

Key characteristics of the new Web 3.0 network

Intelligent searches

Web 3.0 seeks to create a new system for classifying Web pages closely linked to the needs and characteristics of users. In this way, when connecting to the Internet, users can enjoy a much more personalized platform.

The evolution of social networks

Social communities on the web are growing, both in number and in the level of complexity. The ways of connecting to these networks are also increasing.

Faster

The new functionalities of Web 3.0 require a much faster Internet. In response to this, the main telecommunications operators have implemented broadband connections to guarantee a more satisfactory user experience.

Connectivity through more devices

Web 3.0 improves the possibilities for users to connect not only through desktop computers and laptops but also through cell phones, tablets, watches, and more devices.

Free content

Free software and Creative Commons licenses are much more common in Web 3.0.

Three-dimensional spaces

Users can access new ways of visualizing the web, with three-dimensional spaces. A clear example of this is Google Earth.

Geospatial Web

Users can access information available on the web-based on their geographic location.

Ease of navigation

New design trends seek to establish certain standardizations that make the user's browsing experience easier, in addition to the creation of spaces that can be modified and personalized by the user.

Cloud computing

With the creation of new storage spaces, not only for data but also for programs, the web becomes an executable space in the form of a universal computer.

Data linking

More and more information services can aggregate data from other sources to unify the answers they offer to users.

Main Web 3.0 technologies

The various technologies that fall under the umbrella of the Semantic Web have been developing independently for quite some time, and only over the years has there been standardization. Of these, the main technologies are RDF (Resource Description Framework), RDFS (RDF Schema), OWL (Web Ontology Language), SPARQL (SPARQL Protocol and RDF Query Language).

These technologies make it possible to add semantic information to a large number of existing Web pages. The goal has been to build the foundations of the Semantic Web gradually into existing Web pages, rather than replacing it completely, since the former option is comparatively easier, given the vast amount of existing Web content that would be difficult to replace. To make the machines capable of solving defined problems, an adequate definition of the data is required, for which a very specific structure will be used, especially RDF, SPARQL, and OWL, which are mechanisms that make the above possible.

Web 3.0 is based on blockchain technology. This blockchain is a decentralized network built on peer-to-peer connections. The blockchain is so far best known for powering cryptocurrencies and NFTs. Surely the most ambitious Web 3.0 project is the metaverse. A general idea that has existed in science fiction and has jumped into the "real" world after Mark Zuckerberg's announcement and name change from Facebook to Meta. 3D virtual spaces where users would interact in real-time in environments created with virtual or augmented reality. Snap Inc. (Snapchat) is another company offering augmented reality products with metaverse elements.

While it is true that the terms "Web 3.0" and "Semantic Web" are often used as synonyms, it must be said that it is not quite so, the main difference is that Web 3.0 is conceived as the evolution of use and accessibility. To achieve this better accessibility requires artificial intelligence which is what we would call the "Semantic Web", which is the web capable of interpreting and interconnecting the data of the same to behave in a similar way to the knowledge of a human.

Identity and privacy in Web 3.0 will be different as well. It will be tied to the digital wallet of the user participating in it. While in Web 2.0 authentication methods such as OAuth or email plus password almost always require the user to hand over private and personal data, in Web 3.0 digital wallets are anonymous unless the user chooses to publicly link them to their identity. We will have to wait and see where Web 3.0 goes and if the initial objective of a web that gives control back to the user does not end up becoming another and more advanced form of business.

Web 1.0 is a network that allowed people to connect to the Web. Web 2.0 is an extension of the previous one that allowed people to connect to people. Web 3.0 is difficult to define, being a term that is linked, to a large extent, to what is known as the Semantic Web.