What is Web3 and how does it pertain to crypto?

I need to start off by saying this is not financial advice so if you are looking for that this show isn’t for you. The content of this podcast episode is for informational purposes only. The opinions expressed here are not meant to be taken as financial, investment, or any other advice.

Before we begin into what Web3 or Web 3.0 is, let's take a step back. The very first version or first generation of the internet available to use, we know as the World Wide Web. This goes back to the early 90s, where it was primarily made up of static web pages connected by hyperlinks. Some of you may remember those annoying dial up tone high pitch squeals that sounded like this. That was the very first of its kind and we called it Web 1.0. Next came Web 2.0, the 2nd generation where the internet was used as a platform. We saw the rise of e-commerce sites like Amazon and eBay as well as social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. People had the ability to interact with online platforms and publish content of their own websites as well. Cloud computing and smartphones were the large accelerators of growth for this.

Some people believe the problem with Web 2.0 is that internet users are required to surrender their personal data. If users want to use "free" services provided by the tech giants of the industry, they collect all the users' information and preferences while using these services. This personal information is then sold to third parties and often used to send specific ads to its users. And this is where the 3rd generation called Web3 or Web 3.0 comes in. Web 3.0 is believed to bring Internet technology that has the advantage of machine learning, artificial intelligence, and blockchain all together unified to achieve real-world human communication. It can potentially be open, trustless, and permissionless which we'll touch on in a bit. But first in this episode we will take a look at what Web 3.0 is, where it is now, where it’s possibly going in the future, and why it pertains to cryptocurrency.