Why is the Web increasingly centralised? And why should it matter to you?
From time to time, the Web Foundation shares thought pieces and research from organisations working on the intersection of technology and society. This paper by Philip Sheldrake of the hi:project looks at how the internet has become increasingly centralised and what this means for competition, privacy, surveillance, the security of the internet – and ultimately, each one of us as individuals.
A decentralised internet is fundamental to our future across the globe. Sheldrake says: “No matter who you are, if you’re online then it’s almost guaranteed that your personal power is now partially absorbed by corporates you’ve never met applying software you don’t understand to nudge your actions in ways you don’t appreciate. It might feel enjoyable and convenient, but that’s because it makes sense for such services to increase your enjoyment and convenience to their commercial advantage.”
About the hi:project
The hi:project is a collaborative, non-differentiating, open-source, engineering project dedicated to developing and disseminating the human interface (HI). Endorsed by the Web Science Trust, we’re currently building a community of interested parties, preparing to develop a technical proof of concept to demonstrate the potential of our vision. We’re in discussion with prospective participating companies in consumer tech, automotive, Internet of Things, healthcare and financial services. If you would like to find out more – so that your company might profit and so we all might profit – please contact philip@hi-project.org.