Which of the above are characteristics of Web 3.0?

Question

Consider the following features:

i. Blockchain integration

ii. Centralized platform

iii. User ownership and control

iv. Interoperability

Which of the above are characteristics of Web 3.0?

1. A. ii and iii only
2. B. i, ii and iii only
3. C. i, iii and iv only (Correct answer)
4. D. ii, iii and iv only

Correct Answer

Option C — i, iii and iv only

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is i, iii and iv only.

Key Points

• The characteristics of Web 3.0 among those listed:
  • Blockchain integration (i) — the technical foundation on which decentralised applications, tokens and smart contracts are built.
  • User ownership and control (iii) — users hold their own data and digital assets rather than surrendering them to a platform.
  • Interoperability (iv) — applications and assets work across platforms and devices rather than being locked inside one walled garden.
• A centralised platform (ii) is the opposite of what Web 3.0 means. Centralisation is the defining feature of Web 2.0, where a handful of large platforms hold the data and set the terms.

Additional Information

• The three generations of the web:

• Other features associated with Web 3.0: the semantic web, in which data carries machine-readable meaning; artificial intelligence and machine learning as the interpretive layer; ubiquity across devices; 3D graphics and immersive interfaces; and trustless, permissionless interaction requiring no intermediary.
• The building blocks: blockchains as distributed, tamper-evident ledgers; smart contracts that execute automatically when conditions are met; decentralised applications (dApps); DAOs for collective governance; NFTs for verifiable ownership of digital assets; and decentralised finance (DeFi).
• The term "Web 3.0" is used in two senses that are worth keeping apart — Tim Berners-Lee's Semantic Web, about machine-readable meaning, and the blockchain-centred "Web3" popularised later. This question tests the second.
• The criticisms are equally standard: high energy consumption in proof-of-work systems, scalability limits, the concentration of token ownership, the absence of consumer protection, and the difficulty of regulating pseudonymous systems.