Web 3.0 represents the next stage in the evolution of the Internet. To grasp the concept of Web 3.0, we must reflect on Web 1.0 and also consider the current state of the Internet, known as Web 2.0.

Web 1.0 refers to the Internet during the 1990s and early 2000s, where HTML was the main language used for web design. Websites were unattractive and blocky, primarily filled with text and links to other text-heavy sites. Although frames and tables were introduced as enhancements, they still left much to be desired visually. Most users relied on dial-up Internet, which operated over plain old telephone system (POTS) lines, resulting in painfully slow connections. Simply connecting to AOL to check emails or chat on AIM was a significant achievement. During this time, Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer dominated the browser market, and social media was virtually nonexistent. Geocities served as a collection of read-only web pages, with research and reading being the primary reasons users went online.

With the advent of Web 2.0, there was a surge in rich user experiences and the emergence of social networks, blogs, wikis, and media sharing, particularly images at first. Friendster, one of the first social networks, launched in 2002, transforming how users could upload and create personal profile pages and content. Myspace and Orkut followed in 2003 and 2004, with Facebook soon after, initially available to Harvard University students. The rise of social media, search engines, smartphones, and user-generated content (UGC) marked our transition into the current Web 2.0 era.

Web 2.0 emphasizes user interface experiences across desktops, tablets, and smartphones. Many websites now provide platform experiences, offering multiple applications from a single company. Major players like Google, Facebook, Twitter, and Netflix compete for users and page views. The self-publishing phenomenon has exploded, with platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram, WordPress, Pinterest, and TikTok facilitating rich user experiences and collaboration.

In Web 2.0, influencers and brands strive to reach broader audiences on both mobile and desktop devices, vying for advertising revenue and sales profits. Meanwhile, Web 3.0 is currently in development, characterized by even greater user interaction, information sharing, decentralized connectivity, and a foundation built on blockchain technology.

Machine learning and artificial intelligence are expected to play a more significant role in the applications and services we already use. Everything from cars and homes to Internet of Things devices will be interconnected, with a strong emphasis on decentralization, improved connectivity, and increased user control over personal data ownership.

In this new Web 3.0 landscape, centralized authorities like governments and large multinational corporations will take a backseat, allowing for self-governance and self-ownership. Individuals will have a more prominent role in operating on blockchain networks and influencing the future evolution of these systems.

The Internet will become ubiquitous, connecting everything and everyone in a decentralized and permissionless manner. While many blockchain and cryptocurrency companies claim their technology will be central to the Web 3.0 evolution, the outcome remains to be seen. Crypto play-to-earn (P2E) games like Axie Infinity, Decentraland, and Sandbox may have an advantage, but numerous non-gaming blockchains and cryptocurrencies are also working to build the infrastructure for the future of Web 3.0, aiming to retain as much of the existing structure as possible.