With the Internet becoming a modern-day necessity, there's a growing push to free it from the control of regulatory authorities and monopolistic tech giants. Many internet users are becoming wary of the corporations that can track or sell their most sensitive private data.

These challenges have opened the doors for a new concept—a decentralized version of the Internet, based on open-source blockchain networks. Several projects are seeking to replace key elements of online infrastructure with distributed, peer-to-peer systems, that do not rely🔯 on a single intermediary or point of failure. This article looks at some of the potential offerings and the hurdles they are likely to face.

Concerns About the Centralized Internet

The Internet is constantly under surveillance, and user data is regularly tracked and collated by corporations, application developers, and governments. A blockchain-based alternative can address this problem by replacing Internet giants with a decജentralized, peer-to-peer network of individual providers.

In such an alternative, individual internet users would own and operate the infrastructure used for storage and computing. This would take away control from gover🔜nmental or corporate bo𒁃dies.

This form of the Internet may also ensure improved data security. On existing Internet platforms, user data and applications are typically hosted on central servers, allowing companies to create detailed profiles of their users. This data has been used to manipulate populations and election results, for example, during the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Cambridge Analytica scandal, in which Facebook user profile data was stolen and used in targeted marketing and voter profiling.

Decentralized Internet Projects

There are several projects seeking to replace key Internet services with blockchain-based alternatives. For example, Filecoin is seeking to replace 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:centralized cloud sꩲtorage providers with a decentralized file storage network, allowing users to rent out their unused hard drive space in exchange for cryptocurrency. The files are encrypted, thereby protecting data while allowing users to rent external storage. Namecoin is another project that allows users to establish ownership of a doღmain name, which wo⭕uld be similar to a .com address.

Another startup, called Stacks, is seeking to create a new Bitcoin layer for the traditional Internet that can facilitate decentralized applications and smart contracts. Instead of exchanging text, images, and files through a centralized intermediary, users would be able to share data through locally-run apps and retain control over their data☂.

The internet provider Andrena is seeking to replace centralized routing networks with peer-to-peer mesh networks. Such a decentralized Internet could also come with significant cost advantages, although this is subject to market forces. Instead of relying on traditional 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Internet Service Providers, the project hopes that anyone with an Internet connection would be able to🅺 sell their unused bandwidth.

Issues with Blockchain Internet

Though the concept of a blockchain-based Internet may seem feasible, there are several obvious challenges. As with other blockchain projects, one of the biggest hurdles will be attracting a critical mass of users so that the platform can benefit from 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:network effects.

Second, misuse due to anonymity is a major issue in the blockchain world, which includes using cryptocurrenc꧋ies for unlawful purposes. Given that data privacy is a major goal of the decentralized Internet, it is unclear how—or if—such a system would prevent users from engaging in illegal activity.

Third, blockchain networks rely on network participants to run the software that keeps the system running. If the monetary rewards for participation are not attractive enough to incentivize these contributions, participants may stop contributing their computational resources. A fine balance will be needed to make the decentralized bloc♔kchain-based Internet viable.

Lastly, existing Internet service providers will not willingly relinquish their control. Internet services are cash cows for many large businesses, and a decentralized internet is a serious threat to their business models. If anything, it is most likely that the technology will be implemented by existing service providers because they are already in a position to develop a✃nd deploy the technology.

The Bottom Line

While the concept of a free/cheap and fast decentralized blockchain-based Internet is a fine dream, a realistic implementation would likely require more than simply deploying a blockchain to replace the existing infrastructure. Even from the most optimistic perspective, there are many hurdles to overcome before such a system could be accessible to the majority of Interneཧt users.