I'm never quite sure if the phrase is that we're blessed or we're cursed to live in interesting times. Either way, we're definitely here and it's definitely interesting.
Both the internet and the web were designed purposefully to be decentralized. No-one could take control let alone turn them off. Since then we've witnessed many power grabs — from privately owned social networks to nation states 'protecting' their citizens — interspersed with a series of community action and associated projects to re-decentralize things.
Decentralizing done well is a means to some very welcome ends, but it has proven to be a harder design challenge than centralizing. And just as you think you're making progress, along comes the next centralizing innovation.
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