Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder of Ethereum, has called for the development of digital tools that prioritize user independence and privacy.
In a January 10 statement on social media platform
Vitalik Buterin outlines plan for ‘Sovereign Web’, free from big tech
Buterin directed his strongest criticism at the prevailing Internet ecosystem, which he called “corposlop.”
He defined this dynamic as a fusion of sleek, respectable branding and predatory business optimization, designed to maximize profits at the expense of the user organization.
According to Buterin, this environment is defined by a ‘soulless’ homogeneity. Here, big tech companies prioritize short-term metrics, like dopamine-driven algorithms and manufactured outrage, over real long-term value.
He specifically highlighted the prevalence of unnecessary massive data collection and “walled gardens” that impose monopolistic fees while actively blocking interoperability.
These mechanisms, he argued, create an illusion of service while systematically disempowering the user base.
In contrast to this commercial model, Ethereum’s co-founder advocated a redefined concept of digital sovereignty.
While the term “sovereignty” historically focused on evading government censorship in the early 2000s, Buterin argued that the modern definition should expand to include securing a person’s psychological autonomy.
“[Sovereignty] means doing things because you believe in them, and declaring your independence from the homogenizing and soul-sucking concept of ‘the meta’,” Buterin argued.
True sovereignty, he argued, requires cryptographic tools that protect individuals from corporate attempts to harvest their attention and capital.
“I have to admit that the bitcoin maximalists were way ahead of the curve: much of their opposition to ICOs, tokens other than bitcoin, arbitrary financial applications, etc. was precisely about keeping bitcoin ‘sovereign’ and not ‘corposlop,’” he wrote.
To realize this sovereign web, Buterin outlined a specific roadmap for developers. He called for the creation of privacy-preserving, local-first applications that minimize dependence on third-party intermediaries.
Furthermore, Buterin emphasized the need for financial instruments that support sustainable wealth creation. However, he explicitly rejected platforms that promote high-leverage speculation or “sports betting” behavior.
The statement concluded with a plea for open artificial intelligence systems that merge human and machine productivity, rather than software that promotes user passivity.
The post Ethereum’s Buterin Calls for ‘Sovereign Web’ Tools to Combat Corporate Control appeared first on BeInCrypto.
#Ethereums #Buterin #Calls #Sovereign #Web #Tools #Combat #Corporate #Control #BitRss #Crypto #World #News