The Internet: has the internet been hijacked by corporate and government control? – Wouter Constant

The internet was supposed to be where the free exchange of knowledge and ideas happened. Instead, it’s become a place increasingly controlled by a few companies, leading to the regular suppression of inconvenient or unpopular ideas. Joining us is Wouter Constant, co-founder and researcher at Nostr, an open protocol for decentralised, censorship-resistant communication. With Wouter’s deep knowledge of how we got here, we’ll be asking has the internet ruined The Internet? https://nostr.com/ https://weboftrustfoundation.com/ In this episode, Wouter joins us to explore the evolution of the internet from its original promise of free expression to its current state dominated by centralised platforms. We discuss the implications of corporate control, government involvement, and the potential for a decentralised future that prioritises freedom of association and censorship resistance. We also look at the evolution of decentralised social media, and its implications for digital responsibility, identity, and content authenticity, as well as the importance of user responsibility in shaping the future of online interactions. 00:00 The Promise of the Internet and Its Decline 02:54 The Rise of Centralised Platforms 05:54 Investment, Network Effects, and the Corporate Sphere 09:00 Government Involvement and Censorship Dynamics 12:02 The Future of the Internet: Decentralisation and Freedom of Association 15:07 Challenges of a Decentralised Internet 18:08 The Responsibility of Platforms and User Experience 27:09 Understanding Responsibility in Digital Spaces 29:44 The Evolution of Decentralised Social Media 32:30 Nostr vs. Bluesky: A Comparative Analysis 35:30 The Role of Identity and Reputation in Nostr 39:16 Decentralisation and Content Authenticity 44:25 Navigating AI-Generated Content in Nostr 50:51 Building a Safer Internet for Future Generations If you like what you hear, please follow the show, leave a review, or let us know what else you’d like us to look into at ⁠https://www.ruinedbytheinternet.com/⁠