Web4.0 - The Communicative Web?

We are on the brink of a dramatic technological transition.

The EU published a prediction a year ago stating that Web4.0 and the metaverse are expected to grow exponentially, from a $22 billion market to $800 billion by 2030.

Since the main focus of Web4.0 is the decentralization of the web, I would like to address the deep social and human meaning of IT decentralization in this article.

An interesting way to analyze the meaning of web decentralization is to start with linguistic aspects and think about the proper name and definitions of Web4.0.

Looking at historical web development, we know that Web1.0 is called the "read-only" web since, as end users, we were only able to read content contributed by institutions like the military and universities. Around 2005, we experienced a structural IT transformation into Web2.0, known as the "social web." This dramatic IT development allowed end users to suddenly upload and share content and communicate with each other via social media platforms and free access to the WWW by purchasing their own domains.

In recent years, we have been exposed to the Web3.0 transformation, which in my opinion brings a limited structural change, mainly with blockchain being narrowly implemented in crypto and smart contracts. Web3.0 is also known as the "semantic web" because most of the technological IT developments of Web3.0 represent human transactions in the digital arena (from avatars to financial transactions and legal relationships).

Web4.0 - Symbiotic or Communicative?

This brings us to the next technological transition—Web4.0.

We are already starting to see startups focusing on creating large-scale decentralized IT environments, as a result of objective needs arising from the current Web3.0 environment and the difficulties of massively implementing Web3.0 developments in a very centralized Web2.0 digital environment dominated by web giants and traditional entities.

From this perspective, there are already "name-dropping" and branding attempts for Web4.0 online.

The one that I relate to is "the symbiotic web," as it nicely describes a symbiotic process of web development between virtual representations like crypto or NFTs and physical world interactions.

I would like to add my suggestion: "Web4.0 - The Communicative Web."

Why? From an IT point of view, enhanced decentralization means that we must drop digital silos and enable softwares to communicate with one another.

To do this, let's take a quick look at the word "COMMUNICATION."

We see that the word "COMMON" forms the base. IT-wise, to create communication between softwares, we have to find and block a common IT language. It's exactly like effective communication between humans, which elevates and optimizes cooperation.

If I envision Web4.0 implementation, I can clearly see how good IT communication will optimize all end users' goals, whether they are private individuals or businesses.

So, what do you think? Which term do you prefer—symbiotic or communicative? Or perhaps neither?

Since we are only at the beginning of this amazing Web4.0 transition, I am sure new names and ideas will emerge as well.

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