This isn’t one of those articles that starts off with a question and the long and short if it is that the writer just wants to say no. Let’s face it, talk of a decentralized web has been gaining traction in recent times, helped in no small part by the whole Cambridge Analytica scandal . More and more users want to know what data is being collected, who is collecting the data and what that data is being used for. The baseline of decentralizing the internet is to give users greater control of their data and their online privacy (sometimes offline privacy when you consider that a lot of users don’t know some of their real time data is logged online by sensors and trackers).
It is undeniable that as we progress into the future, the internet is being integrated more and more into our lives. From conscious actions like uploading pictures on social media to subconscious data like our locations being tracked, there is an evergrowing pile of data we are generating that easily tell a whole lot about us, who we are, how we think and the decisions we make. Of course, companies that collect all of this data recognize this and, for years have been using this data to manipulate our perception and decision making (hence, the Cambridge Analytica episode). It has become inevitable that the everyday internet user is becoming more skeptical about their data being collected – you can’t blame that skepticism. While Cambridge Analytica and, by extension, Facebook have had some of the worst of the fallout of this sudden realization that we may be sharing more than we intend to, the fact is that there are even more companies out there have some sort of data about us, harvested from online archives.
But is it all bad though? Not necessarily. The problem a lot of people have with the CA scandal was what the data was being used for. First there is the fact that people’s private data were used to generate profit for a company without their permission. Second is the fact that this data was used to manipulate people’s choices and habits without their realization. Most of us like to think whatever decisions we make are borne from conscious thought and careful consideration so naturally, it is scary to find out that we can be influenced simply by our online activity. So where’s the problem? With companies that have our data. Of course, it’s completely possible for them to be altruistic and never use our data for anything nefarious but that’s basically processing our online privacy on the honor system – and we know human beings are not honorable. Guess who runs these companies? Human beings!
My personal problem with a decentralized internet – at least, the models I have seen proposed severally – is that it may give rise to other kinds of less than legal activity. While companies like Google and Facebook have almost unfettered access to our data, they also try (keyword being try because sometimes they fail) to moderate what content is shared on their platforms and thus improve security both in real time and online. You might notice that of late, Facebook, Google and other companies that work with big data have been more vocal about altering their algorithms to combat the dissemination of fake news, illegal activities and unethical online practices (admittedly some of which they have perpetrated in the past) but the fact that we can have some central source at which we can monitor what is being shared and stored online is somewhat a comfort in my view. Of course, these companies claim to protect private data but I’m pretty sure in the right situations, they can be helpful in combating crime, terrorism and other unwholesome activities the inter-connectivity of the internet somewhat enables. Decentralizing the internet would basically mean it would be easier for those with less than noble intentions would need to cover their tracks less because with a decentralized internet – hey, if you’re a network of criminals, who’s to stop you from furthering your criminal empire online, save for internet service providers?
So what’s the possible solution? To be honest, I don’t know. Companies like Facebook and Google have not exactly been honorable with handling our data – because the human factor still applies. However, we still need to have someone to hold accountable for enabling what is shared on the internet and once source to track certain online activities – which may be much harder with a decentralized internet. So unless there is some middle way to somehow “police” the internet (for want of a better word) while it’s decentralized, I suppose we’re stuck between a rock and a hard place
VedaCato 