If you spend any of your internet time not scrolling through pictures of cats, you will likely have come face to face with the term web 3.
I am not here to write another post for the world on why web 3 is important, why web 3 isn’t important or why web 3 is mad. Plenty of that out there already.
What I am distracted by at the moment is a BIG FLASHING LIGHT awareness of how there is a massive gap forming.
A knowledge gap.
A significant one.
We’ve rocketed through a number of revolutions in our existence and we’re very much approaching ludicrous speed within our technology revolution.
As these incredible changes and opportunities scream into existence, they also significantly increase the knowledge, capability and accessibility gap between those who ‘know’ and those who do not.
Those who do not know, may wish to but they have everyday life happening. A bubbling mix of people, financial crisis, health needs and where possible… some joy. One would hope.
This of course is not unique to Web 3.
Is everyone a doctor?
Is everyone an engineer?
Is everyone a rocket scientist?
Is everyone a cat herder?
No.
But when you see new ways of operating, communicating and engaging that deeply weave into everyday life, there very quickly becomes a number of barriers to entry.
An example that may be easy to relate to is the concept of mobile phones.
When mobile phones first appeared… they were a novelty.
You didn’t have to understand them, use them or lust after them.
You didn’t really lose out on very much if you didn’t have a mobile phone.
But as time went on and their use cases developed… they became essential.
We went from people being ‘weird’ for having a mobile phone to people being ‘weirder’ if they didn’t have one.
No longer do people share a phone. Phone directories. Phone books. Telephone boxes.
If you are stuck or lost somewhere and you don’t have a phone (or perhaps phone battery) you can very quickly become stranded.
How many peoples phone numbers do you know in your head other than your own? Maybe work? We used to all know a few… at least a ‘home’ number.
A brand new layer of infrastructure appeared.
For a long time, people with no technology skills were completely excluded.
Arguably, many people still are today.
While we are seeing a little bit of a trend to people going back to ‘before’ the ding ding ping ping ping of mobile phones by buying ‘dumb’ phones… they ultimately still have a phone. With numbers in. Even the people escaping the social addiction side of the technology are still using the base technology.
The thing is, that might not even be a sustainable option.
As Web 3 does its ‘thing’ we will see brand new ways of accessing and owning our data.
Ultimately that data is deeply connected to our identity… at least as the world will need to be aware of it. Passports? Driving? Building access? Payments and finances?
All of it will likely end up tied into these technologies.
If you can’t learn how to use these technologies or worse are unable to access them, you become distanced from the reality that the majority of the world have chosen to create and live in.
This oppression. This knowledge gap. This big hole in Web 3 is feeling critically ignored.
Exciting things can make that happen.
But all is not lost. There are organisations working to ensure accessibility.
If the technology companies get it right most people won’t even have to worry. Web 3 will just seamlessly become part of their day.
But it’s the people not already within the ‘serviced’ markets that I worry about.
What about those that are choosing heating or eating?
What about those that need care and support?
What about those that are still only just getting connected to networks in the way we were in the early 90s.
Some countries don’t even have chip and pin on a card yet. Until recently that even included the USA!
So as you read about Web 3, and especially if you are at all involved in web 3. Perhaps consider keeping one eye on the big hole and see how we might close it.
Let’s ensure we’re not leaving our fellow earth inhabitants behind.
Web 3 is epic.
Let’s make sure it is also inclusive.
Yours,
Fox
