Read Write Own: Building the Next Era of the Internet

THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

‘A compelling vision of where the internet should go and how to get there.’ Sam Altman, CEO, OpenAI

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A potent exploration of the power of blockchains to reshape the future of the internet – and how that affects us all – from technology entrepreneur and startup investor Chris Dixon.

The internet of today is a far cry from its early promise of a decentralized, democratic network of innovation, connection and freedom. In the past decade, it has fallen almost entirely under the control of a very small group of companies like Apple, Google, and Facebook.

In Read Write Own, tech visionary Chris Dixon argues that the dream of a creative, entrepreneurial internet doesn’t have to die and can, in fact, be saved with blockchain networks. He separates this movement, which aims to provide a solid foundation for everything from social networks to artificial intelligence to virtual worlds, from cryptocurrency speculation – a distinction he calls ‘the computer vs the casino’.

Drawing on a 25-year career in the software industry, Dixon lucidly shows how the history of the internet has been defined by three distinct eras that have brought us to the critical moment we’re in today. The first was the ‘read’ era, in which early networks democratized information. The second was the ‘read-write’ era, in which corporate networks democratized publishing. We are now in the midst of the ‘read-write-own’ era, sometimes called web3, in which blockchain networks are granting power and economic benefits to communities of users, not just corporations.

Read Write Own is a must-read for anyone – internet users, business leaders, creators, entrepreneurs – who wants to understand where we’ve been and where we’re going. It provides a vision for a better internet and a playbook to navigate and build the future.

‘A must for anyone who wants to better understand the real potential of blockchains and web3 to drive even greater innovation.’ Robert Iger, CEO, Disney

''Fascinating . . . a refreshing and radical new take at a time when we need fresh thinking more than ever.'' Mustafa Suleyman, co-founder of DeepMind and author of The Coming Wave