Web Developer Ryan Wilson Considers Web 3 a "Threat to Individual Liberty and Autonomy"

Hey HackerNoon Readers! I’m Ryan Wilson and I am a Web Developer and Blogger at www.ryanwilsondesign.com.

I want to thank the HackerNoon community and staff for their nomination in the Web 3 category, as well as BingX for sponsoring the Web 3 category of the 2022 Noonies awards.

I’ve been nominated for the following awards and if you like my writing, please do check out these award pages and vote for me:

1. HACKERNOON CONTRIBUTOR OF THE YEAR- DEFI:

Web 3 is one of the most “exciting” technologies in the current tech landscape because it is such a threat to individual liberty and autonomy. Learn more about my thoughts and opinions on Web 3 and my journey in the tech industry via the interview below.

1. Please tell us your story. What do you currently do in the Web 3 landscape and how did you get started doing it?

I have been a web developer since before the term was coined.  Back when I was first starting out in the late 1990’s, I was known as a Web Designer — someone who designs websites.  Since I was already skilled in Graphic Design, it was a natural extension to design for the web in addition to conventional graphic design areas (logos, posters, etc). This was before programming became a part of the process of creating websites and the focus was mostly on getting sites to look halfway decent while actually functioning online. The current concerted effort to promote what is being called “Web3” is concerning to me, as there seems to be a deficiency in critical analysis in favor of cheerleading and apologetics. I started writing about Web3 on my personal blog, because I was tired of seeing articles that gloss over the real dangers and risks inherent in Web3.

2. Tell us more! What are the things you make / write / manage / build in the world of Web3?

I create and build websites for a variety of purposes, and write about how “Web3” is a buzzword that has already become a cliche. The sites I build are not dependent upon any cryptocurrency or blockchain database, nor do they need to be.

3. What is your inspiration for writing and what made you want to get published on HackerNoon?

I started writing blog posts on my own website as an outlet for expressing my thoughts about how Web technologies need to be evaluated and thought about, and not just accepted and integrated into people’s lives without question. I have been an avid reader of Hacker Noon for many years, and finally got around to submitting an article this year. One of the things I appreciate about Hacker Noon is that they are willing to publish articles from varying points of view that may be antagonistic to popular narratives about new technologies.

4. What do you think is the most exciting development in Web3 right now? and on a personal level, what are you most excited or passionate about in this space?

The word “exciting” is not necessarily a positive thing. The entire concept of money is on the verge of being redefined in terms of Central Bank Digital Currency, and so little is being written about it. Personally, I take it as a challenge to at least put some sort of dissenting voice out there so that some people at least start thinking about how all aspects of life could very soon be totally changed for the worse. The potential for abuse is like nothing that has come before, in terms of total surveillance and loss of autonomy. These issues urgently need attention and discussion before decisions are made for us.

5. What are your concerns about Web3 and why do they worry you?

The most concerning aspect of Web3 is how quickly and easily words and terms have been redefined according to the goals of those pushing Web3 (mostly governments and major corporations). The Orwellian rewriting of what certain words mean (such as decentralization) is a disturbing trend that needs to be stopped. The digital enslavement of everyone on Earth is within reach by those who have the money and power to execute it. Web3 is a convenient vehicle for carrying out totalitarianism on a global scale.

6. If we gave you $10 million to invest in a web 3 project today, what would you invest in and why?

I would invest the 10 million in educational and information awareness programs that help people to understand what is really meant by Web3. The attendant loss of all privacy, the redefinition of what money is, the ways in which compliance will be demanded in order to live a private life without being manipulated. There seem to be few dissenting voices and this needs to change quickly.

7. What are you currently learning?

Currently, I am learning more about the MERN stack (MongoDB, Express, React, and Node). This is a very versatile tech stack that can be used for nearly anything on the web, from simple to complex. No “metaverse” or blockchain necessary.

8. What’s the best advice you’ve ever given someone?

The best advice I have ever given is to question anything and everything you read online or see on tv! It is easier than ever to attempt to control the way people think, via social media, tv media, or mass marketing campaigns. Realize that most of the things we see on a daily basis were put there on purpose by those with moneyed agendas.

9. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

The best advice I ever received was to always be suspicious of the motives of those with power and money (usually governments and corporations). So much time and money is spent on a daily basis to influence people in different ways -- it is very important to always be critical of the motives of those who are trying to influence you,

About HackerNoon’s 2022 Noonie Awards

The annual Noonies Awards celebrate the best and brightest of the tech industry, bringing together all who are making the Internet and the world of tech what it is today.

The 2022 Noonies Awards for the Web 3 category are sponsored by BingX.

A BIG thank you to the sponsor who is helping us celebrate the accomplishments of all our nominees!