Web 3.0 - Is Free Will Free?

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Web 3.0 is meant to put more control in our hands right? We can own our own data and decide what to share inversely, making money out of the content we create. But then, I ask, is free will ever free in this new era of the internet?

What exactly is the cost of the trade-off of the level of freedom Web 3.0 brings. Nothing is ever free, if it's a good thing, there's going to be a downside.

Let's talk about free will in the context of social media today. You scroll through your feed, and it feels like you're in control, but behind the scenes, algorithms are making decisions about what you see, and what you enjoy on any Web 2.0 social platform. Your choices are constricted by what those algorithms decide. Now, with Web 3.0, we get decentralized platforms in which you the user is in control. But is it really as simple as it sounds?

Suppose that you are using a decentralized application like Hive. You can now choose between services, but you're still being guided in a way by the app's code. Even in decentralized finance, which could mean you'll be choosing how to allocate your capital, ultimately, you're dealing with interfaces that have been meticulously designed to lead your decisions.

The way a smart contract is written can without you even being aware, channel your choice. So, do you really make the decisions?

The decision to vote is in the hands of the user, yes I agree, but there's one problem, did you decide the options from which you vote?

Another thing that should be taken into consideration is economic incentives. Web 3.0 is filled with opportunities to earn through cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and staking. However, these very incentives may induce you to act in certain ways. Riding the trend is what you will do if there is a chance for easy money rather than acting on the basis of your real preferences. It's actually like being trapped inside a game, one where you are always chasing the next reward and not really in control of what you are doing.

https://img.inleo.io/DQmYXktvfzMgUYGDYzWtDekkKAAZmX8on7Sh7H4WxfdH3sn/social-media-5187243_1280.webp

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Here on Hive, some content we make and how much we write is influenced by our desire to earn and that's a power the curator has and thus there's this natural desire to please curators or make more friends even if they do not share your interest. I guess that's the price to pay to rise.

Then there's the social element, even in decentralized networks, communities form, and with them the norms and pressures. If all of your community is backing some project, you may feel pressured to do so. In this sense, free will in Web 3.0 can still be influenced by others, as it was in Web 2.0.

Yes, it does empower us at one level, but Web 3.0 is as worth considering for the other hidden influences that play within.

Perhaps I'm overthinking this but decentralization is not fully decentralization to anyone unless you get power.

What are your thoughts regarding this situation? Let me know in the comments.

Posted Using InLeo Alpha