More Web 3.0 FAQs

Below are some frequently asked questions people have about Web 3.0.

Is Web 3.0 the same thing as the Semantic Web?

The Semantic Web is one of Web 3.0's essential pieces because it's what makes the meaning of web content and user commands comprehensible to AI, which in turn drives the greater responsiveness and personalization that are key Web 3.0 benefits. However, Web 3.0 requires other technical underpinnings besides the Semantic Web -- in particular, blockchain.

Is Web 3.0 the same as the metaverse?

You can think of the metaverse as a user experience supercharged with 3D augmented and virtual reality that turns the internet into a single, shared virtual space, enabling people to do things that aren't possible in the physical world. The metaverse will require blockchain, the most important part of Web 3.0, to decentralize and secure its digital content and tokenize assets. Web 3.0 could, in theory, exist before the metaverse, but the opposite is unlikely. For a single, virtual world -- a metaverse -- to be created, Web 3.0 will need to replace the fundamental infrastructure of today's web, or at least major parts of it.

How are Web 3.0 and blockchain related?

Blockchains are the basic infrastructure for Web 3.0's decentralized data model. Blockchain-based technologies -- especially cryptocurrencies, dApps, NFTs and smart contracts -- are expected to play major roles in Web 3.0's highly distributed, more personalized web experience.

Who created Web 3.0?

No one person or organization came up with the idea or the technical components. If you had to name one, it would be Tim Berners-Lee, who invented the World Wide Web and has strongly advocated for the Semantic Web, a key differentiator of Web 3.0 from previous generations. However, the creators of blockchain and the technologies that run on it -- cryptocurrency, smart contracts and DAOs -- as well as the nonprofits and companies that are commercializing blockchain, also deserve credit for building the pieces that, if they come to dominate the internet, will mean Web 3.0 has effectively arrived.

Can Web 3.0 be hacked?

Despite the extreme claims of blockchain "true believers," major blockchains and cryptocurrencies have suffered occasional hacks. There's little reason to believe that when it finally comes along, Web 3.0 won't also be vulnerable, since blockchain is the most important piece in its foundation.

What are Web 3.0 crypto coins?

Web 3.0 coins will be the same coins as Web 3.0's underlying cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin and Dogecoin, which are already in use.

How can you invest in Web 3.0?

An obvious, well-trod first step is to invest in one of the better-known cryptocurrencies. Few of the vendors that specialize in Web 3.0 technology are publicly traded, but a handful of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have emerged to group the stocks of Web 3.0 companies in a single fund for investors to buy into. There are also ETFs and mutual funds that bundle cryptocurrencies. It's early to consider more established companies like Google and Meta as direct Web 3.0 investments, since their Web 3.0 efforts are a small fraction of their businesses, but that could soon change.