What would a decentralized internet look like?

The internet is a household name around the world but very few people actually grasp the deep meaning encapsulated in that simple, single word. It’s a deep rooted abstraction. A far reaching symbolism. A great mystery that I will gently unravel in this evolving tale.

Conceived in the 1960’s, the internet is one of the most transformative technological innovations in human history. It began as a research project by computer scientists and engineers to discover how the cumbersome, isolated, first generation computers could transfer information without direct physical access. However, it has since evolved into a global network connecting billions of people, devices, and systems. Nowadays, the internet is more than just a tool for communication; it has revolutionized how we work, socialize, learn, shop, and access information.

The structure and functioning of the internet are underpinned by a variety of infrastructure, software applications and protocols ...