Why Decentralization Matters in Web3

Web3 is built on a philosophy of decentralization. It was born out of a growing distrust of the centralized companies and technologies that currently make up the web. However, as the blockchain space evolves, we are once again beginning to see centralized infrastructure become the backbone of this technology. In this article, we’ll explore why it is important to remember our principles and build a better, fairer, trustless web. 

The birth of Web3

The internet has been historically dominated by centralized organizations, such as Google, Meta, and Amazon, which have accumulated enormous power and influence over the digital world. These entities control most aspects of our digital world, from data storage and processing to content distribution and monetization. As a result, issues such as privacy breaches, censorship, and unequal access to resources have become increasingly prevalent, leading to growing concerns about the centralized nature of the web.

Web3 emerged as a response to these challenges, aiming to create a more secure, trustless, and user-centric online ecosystem by embracing the principles of decentralization. By distributing control and decision-making across a network of peers, Web3 seeks to reduce the influence of centralized entities and empower individuals to reclaim their digital rights and freedoms. 

The importance of decentralization

Decentralization underpins the core principles of Web3, and it is essential in realizing its potential. There are four main principles of decentralization; keeping these in mind will help us understand why this matters in the future of web:

1. Trustlessness: This is a fundamental aspect of decentralization, as it enables secure, peer-to-peer interactions without the need for intermediaries or trusted third parties. In a trustless system, cryptographic algorithms and consensus mechanisms ensure integrity and security, rather than a centralized entity. This minimizes the risk of fraud, corruption, or manipulation, as no single entity can control or interfere with access or data. 

2. Ownership and Control: Decentralization empowers users with greater ownership and control over their digital assets and data. This enables individuals to manage their resources more effectively and reduces the risk of exploitation by centralized entities. It also allows a more user-approach to the online ecosystem, as users can take their data with them everywhere across the web rather than specific elements being tied to one protocol or project.

3. Censorship resistance: In a decentralized ecosystem, content and information are distributed across multiple nodes, making it difficult for any single entity to censor or control the flow of information. This encourages freedom of expression and protects the rights of users to access and share information. 

4. Openness: As one entity cannot control the access to a protocol, platforms are made accessible to everyone, regardless of their location or background. This fosters inclusivity and prevents the concentration of power and resources in the hands of a select few. 

The slow rise of centralization

Unfortunately, we have seen these core principles take a backseat in the development of Web3, especially the underlying infrastructure that supports it. As the cost of maintaining RPC nodes increases and developers become more specialized, many projects have opted for centralized gatekeepers to manage their RPC access for the sake of convenience. For example, when using MetaMask to sign transactions in a game or NFT marketplace, unless you’ve already switched your custom RPC to a decentralized solution like Blast, your data is flowing through a centralized cluster of RPC nodes. This exposes you to the risks of outages and other disruptions associated with centralized infrastructure.

This isn’t just theoretical – since 2021, we’ve seen centralized node providers censor transactions, block particular applications such as Tornado Cash, and even revoke complete access from certain regions. Regardless of how trustless, open, or censorship resistant a Web3 project is, it can only be as decentralized as its underlying infrastructure. 

It is crucial to recognize the importance of decentralized node solutions in preserving the principles of Web3. To ensure that Web3 remains true to its principles and achieves its full potential, developers, users, and stakeholders must prioritize decentralization from the bottom up.

Our mission at Bware

At Bware, we believe that decentralization is the core of Web3. We also understand that we should not sacrifice performance, user-friendliness, or developer experience. We are building open, permissionless infrastructure for builders and enterprises to easily build a better web.

Learn more about our products on the Bware Labs Website.