The internet has made the world a smaller place. While that’s brought many positive changes, privacy has become a major concern as more data goes online. Web 3.0, the next generation of the worldwide web, could bring some improvements.

It seems like nothing on the internet today is private. Web 3.0 seeks to change that, maintaining all the convenient parts of the web without its risks. Let’s take a closer look.

What Is Web 3.0?

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The main goal of Web 3.0 is to put power back into the hands of internet users. It will let users create and execute tools instead of giving large corporations their data to use online services. It uses technologies like blockchain to decentralize the web, removing its dependence on massive third parties.

Today, just a handful of companies like Google and Amazon control the web, but Web 3.0 belongs to everyone. Here’s how that could change internet privacy for the better.

Web 3.0 Has No Room for Intermediaries

The most notable privacy upgrade with Web 3.0 is removing centralized third parties from the equation. Users will interact directly instead of relying on companies like Facebook to facilitate the exchange. That way, people don’t have to worry about an intermediary listening in on their private conversations.

A few key technologies make this possible. Incentive systems reward users for participation to keep social platforms running without a centralized authority. Blockchains, which don’t belong to any one party, ensure that communication remains decentralized.

Blockchains also let users verify their identities themselves, minimizing how many people can access sensitive information. A report from Rhonda Ascierto, the Vice President of UptimeInstitute, warns against insider threats which have become more common in today’s centralized data centers. As the risk has increased considerably, a considerable privacy upgrade is necessary.

Web 3.0 Will Ensure Transparency

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Web 3.0 will also make the internet a more transparent place. On top of being unchangeable, blockchain records are visible to virtually anyone. That way, when web applications run on this technology, users can see how these apps are using their data.

Today, users often don’t know how various websites collect, store and use their information, leading to unexpected privacy breaches. The transparency that a blockchain provides helps remove that veil. Less confusion and ignorance means users can make more informed decisions about using the internet.

Web 3.0 Promises Decentralized Data Storage

Since just a few companies run the web today, much of the information on the internet sit in large, centralized data centers. As reported by Entrepreneur, IBM estimated that poor data management costs companies $3 trillion each year, which doesn’t inspire much confidence in these centers’ privacy. One breach could impact millions of users’ records.

Web 3.0 works differently. It distributes information across secure, decentralized data pools instead of large central units. That way, a breach in one company or website is less likely to impact user privacy significantly.

Web 3.0 Lowers Hacking Risk

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Web 3.0 would also make hacking far more difficult. Since blockchain processes are distributed across a vast network, hackers have to break into at least 51 percent of the computers on the system to infiltrate them. These 51 percent attacks are rare because they carry massive logistics, hardware, and cost requirements.

This aspect of blockchain technology means users don’t have to worry much about data breaches from hacking. Sure, it’s still possible, but it’s far less likely. As these blockchain networks get bigger and more complex, the chance of a 51 percent attack will drop even more.

Web 3.0 Could Bring a New Age of Internet Privacy

Whether Web 3.0 will deliver on these promises or not is still uncertain. This technology and its implementation are still in the early stages, but they hold massive potential.

For now, Web 3.0 looks like it could bring substantial privacy benefits. If the world can implement it effectively, it can revolutionize internet security.