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Akshay Iyer
Jack Toolin
DM-GY-6043 Theories and Cultural Impact of Media and Technology
16 December 2015
Web 3.0: The Smarter Web
INTRODUCTION
The Internet is continuously evolving, and this has opened up opportunities and
challenges in advancing technologies for the web. The World Wide Web, was founded in the
year 1989. In those early years, the web was just a read-only medium, Google was merely a
search engine, and Amazon was just an online bookstore. It was an initial stage in the evolution
of the web, later coined as Web 1.0. The second phase, Web 2.0, symbolized the advent of social
media, video streaming, knowledge sharing, and optimized search engines. Today, we have
household appliances communicating with each other over the Internet, transmitting signals to
track their status. Devices that are able to sense the pulse rate, track the number of steps a person
takes and remind that person of their daily activities automatically were developed. This third
phase of the evolution process has connected the world, broadened the horizons to understand
ways the Internet is accessed, and made the web more intelligent. This period of the web is
called Web 3.0.
There are many ways in which Web 3.0 is defined. John Markoff of the New York Times
was the first to coin this third generation of the web as Web 3.0 (Spivack). When asked about
Web 3.0, English scientist Tim Berners-Lee states: “People keep asking what Web 3.0 is. I think
maybe when you've got an overlay of scalable vector graphics - everything rippling and folding
and looking misty - on Web 2.0 and access to a semantic web integrated across a huge space of

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data, you'll have access to an unbelievable data resource” (Nandini). Web 3.0, also sometimes
referred as to the semantic web, is an attempt at reducing the tasks that are being performed by
humans and leave them to machines by providing machine readable content to the web (Aghaei).
Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google stated: “Web 3.0 is a series of combined applications. The
core software technology of Web 3.0 is artificial intelligence, which can intelligently learn and
understand semantics. Therefore, the application of Web 3.0 technology enables the Internet to
be more personalized, accurate and intelligent” (Nandini).
HISTORY
The evolution of Web 3.0 began in 1989 when Tim Berners-Lee founded the World Wide
Web at CERN labs in Switzerland. This earlier phase of the web was later coined Web 1.0, after
the advent of Web 2.0 in the early 2000s. The primary focus of this phase was on making the
web accessible and commercializing it for the first time. The areas concentrated upon during this
period were Internet protocols such as Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and websites that
were made using standard markup languages such as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and
Extensible Markup Language (XML). The Internet was accessed was only through Internet
Service Providers (ISPs), and sites could be reached only through web browsers on a computer.
Web pages were created using web-centered software languages such as Java and JavaScript.
Web 1.0 was a more data-centric phase of accessing the Internet. Every web page
consisted of various components such as text, images, video clips, files, and links to different
pages. This was a time when the use of the database as a medium for storing information and
data flourished. All the data needed to be stored in such a way that it was readily available, and
this turned out to be a boon for the database form of storing information and data (Manovich).

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As the years progressed, the number of people accessing the Internet kept increasing and
websites started focusing on making the web more user-centered. More and more websites came
into existence that focused their attention on social networking, blogging, RSS feeds and wikis
thereby enabling the user themselves to post information on the Internet. Social networking
websites such as Facebook, Orkut, and Myspace came into existence, and they were the new
wave amongst the users of the Internet. These sites enabled users to share information, images
and videos amongst themselves. It also showcased potential in information sharing during times
of crisis such as the Boxing Day Tsunami and the London Bombings (Lovink). Companies like
Amazon, and eBay started focusing their attention more towards retaining the connected users
and less towards the shopping catalog (O’Reilly). This phase of social collaboration and
information sharing marked the next chapter in the evolution of the web, which got coined by
UX dersigner Darcy DiNucci as Web 2.0. The primary focus of Web 2.0 was the creation of
active and increased user participation, and the use of software as a service.
For Web 1.0 and 2.0, the Internet is restricted to the use of a computer and the mobile
device. However, as more devices such as touch phones, cars, and other household appliances
connect to the web, the web will become free and omnipresent. The Internet could perform tasks
faster and more efficiently. For example, search engines can find the actual individual user
interests, and not just keywords typed into search engines. Household devices will exchange data
with the user and generate more statistical information. This will be the next logical step in the
evolution of the Internet and it is called the Web 3.0 (Matusky).

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Fig. 1. Evolution of the Internet
CHARACTERISTICS
The third-generation of the web is bringing with it a shift in focus of development, from
front-end improvements to back-end infrastructure level upgrades. This cycle will continue for
the next few years and thereby make the web more connected, open, and intelligent. It will
transform the web from many disparate applications to an interoperable unified form (Spivack).
Web 3.0 is based around four different characteristics (Lal).
Intelligence. The intelligence of the web is considered to be one of the most important
characteristics of Web 3.0. Applications will work in a more rational manner with the inclusion
of natural language processing and improved human-computer interaction. Neural networks and
machine learning get incorporated at regular intervals into many applications so that they
respond intelligently. All Web 3.0 applications will analyze the situation and provide an
optimum solution without intervention by the user. Web 3.0 also enables users to view content in
their native languages.

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Personalization. The users will be able to set individual preferences, and they will be
implemented during different activities such as individualizing search portals, iterating
advertisements based on user history, information processing.
Interoperability. In the context of Web 3.0, applications can be easily customized and
they can work independently on different kinds of devices. For example, an application that is
based on the new Web 3.0 technology will be able to run on many types of devices such as
computers, smartphones, mobile phones, TVs, automobiles and many others. Web 3.0 provides
the ability for multiple platform to exchange information and views between themselves.
Virtualization. Web 3.0 is equipped with high-speed bandwidths and flash animations,
which enable virtualization on the Internet. This trend has allowed the creation of more user
interactive and visually appealing websites and mobile applications.
BUILDING BLOCKS OF WEB 3.0
Web Semantics. The most important aspect associated with Web 3.0 is web semantics.
This concept has been envisioned to support human reasoning and data management with an
improved interpretation of information on the Internet. Many methodologies are currently being
implemented in the domain of web semantics. The semantic web proposes to use Resource
Description Framework (RDF) as a flexible data model and use the ontology model to represent
data semantics. Traditionally, relational models and XML tree models were used to represent
data. However, they offer limited means to capture meaning. RDF ontologies can adequately
capture data semantics and enable semantic query and matching, as well as efficient data
integration.

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RDF records all the relevant information in triples. As seen in Fig. 2. each triple consists
of a subject, a predicate, and an object. The predicate is typically a verb and denotes the
relationship that exists between the subject and the object (Kulkarni).
Fig. 2. A simple implementation of a triple
Each triple represents one edge in the resulting graph: the subject is the name of the node
where the side starts, the predicate is the type of the edge, and the object is either the name of the
node where the edge ends or a literal value. By making the web more intelligent RDF made a
profound contribution to Web 3.0.

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Ubiquitous Computing. Remarkable developments in technologies such as wireless
communications, wireless networking, mobile computing devices, artificial intelligence, software
agents, technologies like Bluetooth, BANs, PANs and 802.11 wireless LANs, embedded systems
and wearable computers have led to the evolution of pervasive & ubiquitous computing
platforms. When asked about Ubiquitous Computing Peter Robinson, a professor of computer
technology states: “Ubiquitous and pervasive computing may be defined as the task of
embedding small and mobile devices into existing IT and computing infrastructures, so that it
allows users to access and manipulate information where and when it matters, even while on the
move”. The tasks required to be done on computers and mobile devices need not be called upon
every time; they will be performed automatically. Thus, user involvement is decreased to a great
extent (Lal).
The Internet of Things. One of the most prominent components that has supported the
growth of Web 3.0 is the concept of the Internet of Things. The Internet of Things refers to the
notion that every gadget and appliance is now capable of accessing the Internet. The existence of
this idea dates back to 1989 when the concept of barcodes and RFID tags was introduced. This
concept has become increasingly famous in recent times due to advancements in consumer-level
communication technology. There are many benefits to the Internet of Things, which are
connecting various devices together. As Cruz explains, an alarm clock can set its time
automatically to adapt to daylight-saving time or thermostats can automatically adjust based on
weather forecasts (Cruz).
Media Centric Web. Traditionally the search engines provided results by textual inputs.
However, technology has evolved to achieve more than text-based information searches. With
the advent of image processing, natural language processing, and facial recognition, search

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engines would be able to take input from a media or a multi-media object and the result could be
related media objects based on its associated features. For example, to search for images of cars,
we could just type car pictures, or we could even provide them with a photo of a car with similar
features such as color or car type.
Distributed Databases. Initially, a web page consisted of databases that used to store data
such as text blocks, images, video clips, and links to other pages. This database form was
restricted to data being located in only one individual location. As time progressed, there was a
need to access data that was available in places that might not be connected to the same
computer which led to the emergence of distributed databases.
Fig. 3. A distributed database
A distributed database, as shown in Fig. 3. is a database where portions of the
database are stored on multiple computers within a network. Each user would have access to that
part of the database accessible at their location. The data relevant to their tasks is available

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without interfering with the remaining data. Distributed databases played an extremely crucial
role in making the web accessible on a global level, and thus contributed significantly to the
evolution of Web 3.0.
APPLICATIONS
There are many uses of Web 3.0 which display the effectiveness of web semantics in
providing search results. Suppose the user wishes to go to a movie with a certain genre and
would also prefer to eat Chinese food. The user would need to type the mandatory sentence in
the search engine, and the search engine will provide the necessary information. An example of
this search would be "I want to go to see an action movie and then eat at a good Chinese
restaurant. My options are?". The browser will analyze this query string, and all the relevant
searches would be returned to the user.
The Internet can also be used to research health issues. An example of these health
searches could be a situation where a patient would want to ascertain what he might be suffering
from, based on a set of symptoms. After assessing the query, the browser would fetch the results.
However, there is a loophole here since every issue is associated with multiple health concerns
and the result will be inaccurate.
There are also many wearable devices that are connected through wireless networks to
the Internet. The finest example for this would be the Apple Watch, which allows live tracking of
information such as pulse rate, the number of steps taken, as well as walking or driving
directions. The GPS systems present in automobiles can track the location of the vehicle using
the Internet. Google Now provides information regarding flight schedules, shipment information,
traffic patterns and even weather forecasts without the user having to set any preferences.

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DISADVANTAGES
As the technology keeps improving and more developments take place in the evolution of
the web, the most significant concern at this circumstance would be security. The rapid
technological advancements increase the chances of hackers to infiltrate into an individual's
account and leave with valuable information.
Moreover, the less advanced computers and mobile devices will not be able to handle
such superior technology. To meet these technological advancements, the user might have to
upgrade their existing devices so as to grow with the expanding technology.
CONCLUSION
The advent of Web 3.0 has revolutionized the way the Internet is perceived. The Internet
has evolved to a great extent since the traditional Web 1.0, and it continues to progress further
with Web 3.0. In the future technology might progress to a state where machines start behaving
like humans, understand human ontology, and thereby perform tasks much more efficiently.

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Works Cited
Aghaei, Sarah. "Evolution of the World Wide Web: From Web 1.0 to Web 4.0." International
Journal of Web & Semantic Technology (2012). Print.
Cruz, Xath. "Introducing Web 3.0: Internet of Things." CloudTimes. 9 Sept. 2013. Web. 13 Dec.
2015.
Kulkarni, Krishna. "Semantic Web Technologies and Data Management." (2007). Print.
Lal, Rajiv. "Web 3.0 in Education & Research." BVICAM’s International Journal of Information
Technology (2011). Print.
Lovink, Geert. "Zero Comments: Kernels of Critical Internet Culture." (2008). Print.
Manovich, Lev. "Database as a Symbolic Form." The Language of New Media (2001). Print.
Matusky, Randy. "Web 2.0 vs. Web 3.0 - What Really Is the Difference?" Digital Portfolio. 3
Apr. 2015. Web. 13 Dec. 2015.
O’Reilly, Tim. "Web Squared: Web 2.0 Five Years On." (2009). Print.
Nandini, Dhara. "Introduction to Semantic Web." Semantic Web and Ontology. Print.
Spivack, Nova. "Lifeboat Foundation." Web 3.0: The Third Generation Web Is Coming. 2006.
Web. 14 Dec. 2015.