"The Power to the People" chant at the Berlin Web3 Summit

A few days ago, at the Web3 Summit in Berlin, privacy was a major topic of discussion, with the phrase "Power to the People" being heard on-site, referring to the power of privacy.

Web3 encompasses various definitions to explain the different directions and features that may arise during the development of the Internet. Currently, there is the Web3 Foundation, abbreviated as W3F. The summit brought together over 1,000 developers, researchers, and builders of decentralized networks in Berlin for 72 hours of continuous discussions on hacking attacks, network demonstrations, as well as workshops and self-organized gatherings.

Not long ago, the director of W3F, Ryan Zurrer, announced his resignation from his role in the decentralized network organization to pursue his interests in investments and Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAO). He mentioned the high value that DAO holds:

I believe the dream of a sustainable decentralized organization is in attracting and filtering talent, supporting genuine innovation and meaningful experiments, and providing value to its members, which is what I find most appealing.

DAO is autonomously managed by smart contracts on the blockchain and can be thought of as a decentralized autonomous company.

At this week's summit, privacy advocate Edward Snowden addressed an audience of about 1,000 people:

The ability to engage in private trade is one of the fundamental freedoms of humanity, but currently, without incredible technology, you cannot do it.

He also half-jokingly remarked that there must be someone on the internet saying something truly stupid, and it won't haunt them forever because privacy is one of the most basic realms of individuals.

Although statements advocating for greater data privacy through encryption are not new, Snowden's words sparked significant reactions from the audience, mainly consisting of blockchain developers.

Privacy startup Nym Technologies stated in its Web3 address:

To meet the demands for privacy measures on existing blockchains, we are striving to break technical barriers, not just rely on legal protections.

Also supporting the data privacy cause is cryptocurrency pioneer David Chaum, who launched a new cryptocurrency called Praxxis this Tuesday to support his private messaging platform Elixxir. He mentioned:

The world will need Elixxir communication technology, which is one of the few places that allow individuals to establish their data in this digital age.

During the closing remarks, Halpin, CEO of Nym Technologies, mentioned earlier, addressed the audience:

What we need is not just technology but also a social movement. The tech people in this room will be the core of that movement. Let us remember the cry, "All power to the people!"

Further Reading

• 2019 Cryptocurrency Industry Mid-Year Report
• Analysis: ICO Rating fined by the U.S. SEC for anti-touting violations

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