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Ruben Verborgh

Re-decentralizing the Web, for good this time

by Ruben Verborgh

Originally designed as a decentralized ecosystem, the Web has undergone a significant centralization in recent years. In order to regain control over our digital self, over the digital aspects of our lives, we need to understand how we arrived at this point and how we can get back on track. This chapter explains the history of decentralization in a Web context, and details Tim Berners-Lee’s role in the continued battle for a free and open Web. The challenges and solutions are not purely technical in nature, but rather fit into a larger socio-economic puzzle, to which all of us are invited to contribute. Let us take back the Web for good, and leverage its full potential as envisioned by its creator.

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To be published in 2020 in Linking the World’s Information: A Collection of Essays on the Work of Sir Tim Berners-Lee.

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Cite this chapter easily using its BibTeX entry: 

@incollection{verborgh_timbl_chapter_2020,
  title = {Re-decentralizing the {Web,} for good this time},
  author = {Verborgh, Ruben},
  year = 2020,
  booktitle = {Linking the World's Information: A Collection of Essays on the Work of Sir Tim Berners-Lee},
  editor = {Seneviratne, Oshani and Hendler, James},
  publisher = {ACM},
  url = {https://ruben.verborgh.org/articles/redecentralizing-the-web/},
}

Alternatively, pick a reference of your choice below:

IEEE
R. Verborgh, “Re-decentralizing the Web, for good this time,” in Linking the World’s Information: A Collection of Essays on the Work of Sir Tim Berners-Lee, O. Seneviratne and J. Hendler, Eds. ACM, 2020. Accepted for publication.
ACM
Ruben Verborgh. 2020. Re-decentralizing the Web, for good this time. In Linking the World’s Information: A Collection of Essays on the Work of Sir Tim Berners-Lee, Oshani Seneviratne and James Hendler (eds.). ACM. Accepted for publication.
LNCS
Verborgh, R.: Re-decentralizing the Web, for good this time. In: Seneviratne, O. and Hendler, J. (eds.) Linking the World’s Information: A Collection of Essays on the Work of Sir Tim Berners-Lee. ACM (2020). Accepted for publication.
APA
Verborgh, R. (2020). Re-decentralizing the Web, for good this time. In O. Seneviratne & J. Hendler (Eds.), Linking the World’s Information: A Collection of Essays on the Work of Sir Tim Berners-Lee. ACM. Accepted for publication.
MLA
Verborgh, Ruben. “Re-Decentralizing the Web, for Good This Time.” Linking the World’s Information: A Collection of Essays on the Work of Sir Tim Berners-Lee, edited by Oshani Seneviratne and James Hendler, ACM, 2020. Accepted for publication.

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