Can Decentralization Save the Internet from Itself?

Censorship by tech giants and governments restricts online speech through algorithms and data control. Decentralization—via blockchain, DAOs, and peer-to-peer tech—offers a way to distribute power, increase transparency, and resist censorship. But total freedom has its risks. A hybrid model may balance safety and autonomy on the internet of the future.

Today, we live in what can sometimes feel like a digital utopia, one where the internet brings the world closer together. Social platforms mediate communication and connect us regardless of time, place, or distance. But with this powerful connection comes a growing need for regulation and control.

Censorship is the restriction of interactions and the flow of information online, typically controlled by a few powerful tech companies—and sometimes government bodies—who run the platforms we depend on.

Through algorithms, these platforms determine what content we see and what gets silenced. They access ...