- The metaverse, blockchain, and Web3 are being fiercely debated as they dominate the tech discourse.
- Enthusiasts paint these visions for a new internet as inevitable, but a lot remains unclear.
- Here are seven books for thinking critically about the latest buzzwords and the web’s future.
From the metaverse to blockchain, Web3, DAOs, NFTs, and the seemingly endless number of cryptocurrencies emerging even amid a crypto crash, it feels as if some especially zealous tech leaders and enthusiasts are trying to uproot the internet overnight. It’s enough to make almost anybody’s head spin.
The feeling that the internet is due for some serious change is certainly widespread, with issues like data privacy, cybersecurity, and the consolidated power of a few tech giants increasingly causing concern among the masses and governments.
Enthusiasts of ideas like Web3 and the metaverse have a lot of confidence their visions will usher in a better digital world, and they’re making big bets, to the tune of billions of dollars. Total investment in the metaverse alone is expected to top $1 trillion by the end of the decade, according to CB Insights.
But the internet moves quickly and chaotically. No one can be sure where it will go from here. In fact, no one can even agree on a definition for “the metaverse.” The framing of some of these visions as inevitable has made it that much more confusing to keep up, as well as harder to buy in. (Not to mention the scams — the Federal Trade Commission recently reported that more than 46,000 people had lost over $1 billion combined to crypto scams since the beginning of 2021.)
To help readers think critically about these latest internet buzzwords, the history of the web, and how it may evolve, Insider compiled a list of books on the topic. They’re as entertaining as they are insightful, and some are true page-turners.