web1 - boring, feature-less, very little functionality

web2 - interactive, very dynamic, feature-rich, little to zero privacy

web3 - decentralized, immutable, blockchain-powered

web4 - ???

web (2 +3) = web5 - digital identity privacy and ownership on steroids

I discovered web5 thanks to the ongoing hackathon organized by the good folks at TBD, and I have been fascinated by how much potential it has.

Previous versions of the web are plagued by data-privacy issues - cookies, deleted accounts that are not deleted, and the thousand and one sign-ups.

What if there was a way you could be in total control of your digital identity?

This is exactly what web5 is about. It is not reinventing the wheel, it is tightening the bolts. It is steering you into a new age of digital information - one where you are in charge of you digital identity at any point in time. You decide who does what with it, and you can restrict access to any parts of your digital identity.

It is like having a big house with lots of rooms. You have the keys, and you determine who gets into which rooms, and what they can interact with in these rooms. And yeah, you can kick out anyone at anytime. No explanations needed!

Lets talk about the feature components of web5

Decentralized Identifiers:

Your special-to-you keys that give you access to a Decentralized Web Node (DWN).

Decentralized Web Nodes:

The heavily guarded big house where your data is stored in different rooms. You own the keys, and no one can access any of the rooms without your permission. Noice

Protocols:

Web laws that are created in the most democratic way possible. Everything is fair in here.

Conclusion:

web5 is more than a play on digits; 2 + 3. It is the solution to data privacy issues.