Category: web3

There's a growing recognition that technology should not just be innovative, but also inclusive. As we move towards a decentralized future, it's crucial to ensure that these advancements are accessible to everyone, not just the tech-savvy. This is where empathy-driven design comes into play—an approach that prioritizes user-friendly experiences and puts people at the center of technological innovation.

It’s spring here in Sweden and many people enjoy a cup of coffee in the warmth of the sun. Conversations about life are buzzing. We share our lives with friends to get understanding, empathy and support. It’s no different in our digital lives. How do we build a web that considers the vital component of empathy?

First off, empathy-driven design is about understanding and addressing the needs, fears, and aspirations of users. It's about recognizing that behind every wallet address or avatar is a real person with a unique story and perspective. By embracing empathy, we can create Web3 experiences that are not only technologically advanced but also deeply human.

As I see it, one of the biggest barriers to Web3 adoption is the complexity of its interfaces. For non-technical users, navigating decentralized platforms can feel overwhelming. Empathy-driven design focuses on simplifying these interfaces, making them intuitive and easy to use. This means clear navigation, straightforward language, and visual cues that guide users effortlessly through their digital journey.

I argue that we need to move beyond trying to make Web3 accessible by teaching them about the technological aspects of blockchain, smart contracts, and decentralized finance. We need to build technology that empowers users to understand and engage with Web3 technologies confidently without being interested in the technology itself.

“I have no idea how Excel works, neither have I been to an Excel conference. But I still know how to use it.”

Sure, a certain amount of demystification of this technology is needed, but fostering a sense of inclusion and belonging is much more important to get people to use the technology. Please no more web3 jargon.

We can integrate intuitive features like social logins to significantly enhance the user experience. Social logins allow users to access Web3 platforms using their existing social media accounts, eliminating the need for complex registration processes. This small change can make a big difference, especially for those new to decentralized technologies.

Some great examples show how Web3 platforms are making it easier for everyone to get on board using simple login methods we're all familiar with. For instance, Moralis lets users log into apps using accounts like Google or Twitter. This automatically sets up the necessary tools for using Web3 services, so you don't need to understand the technical details. It's smooth and straightforward, just as it should be.

Similarly, WEPIN uses these familiar logins to provide access to digital wallets through accounts like Google, Apple, or even local services like Kakao and LINE. This makes it much easier for anyone to participate in activities like creating digital art or owning digital assets, without the hassle of managing complex security details. These examples show how simple logins in Web3 are making advanced technology accessible and user-friendly for everyone.

Yes, by designing with empathy, we ensure that Web3 is accessible to people of all backgrounds and abilities. I sure want my voice to be heard and be able to use the web regardless of what technology it is built on. Or we could keep building with a technology focus…

“Who needs user-friendly experiences or inclusivity, right? Let's just pile on the jargon and complexities—that'll make everyone feel right at home.”

Irony aside, by focusing on empathy-driven design we can build a Web3 that is not only technologically advanced but also deeply human and inclusive. This is how we meet the needs of people and create a better world.

When Elon Musk brought the sink into the Twitter headquarters in his takeover, thousands of users sought a different kind of social media experience—one that prioritizes people over profits. Users were looking for platforms where community is more important than virality, where people get increased autonomy over algorithmic control. A human web. Here's how Mastodon's approach, a human-centric mindset, brings a more humane digital future.

At the center of Mastodon's appeal is the autonomy it offers users. Unlike centralized platforms, Mastodon is a network of independently run servers, each with its own rules and moderators. This decentralized structure allows users to choose a server that aligns with their values and needs, giving them control over their digital environment.

Mastodon deliberately avoids features that drive virality, such as global search or trending hashtags. Instead, it fosters community by encouraging local interactions and meaningful conversations. While the global feed of X is interesting, a smaller community offers closer relationships and feels more genuine in human connections.

We've all seen how global social media turns misinformation into engagement—rewarding clicks over clarity. Yes, Mastodon breaks that cycle; it's not driven by algorithms or hype, but by people. A human-centric space where conversations matter more than metrics.

Put differently, it's about putting community and connection over virality.

I would say that designing platforms that facilitate meaningful interactions and foster a sense of belonging is at the heart of building a human web.

Users can engage in discussions without fear of harassment, and administrators can quickly address harmful content. This focus on safety and well-being is crucial for creating inclusive digital spaces, particularly for marginalized groups in society.

The lack of algorithmic amplification on Mastodon means that content doesn’t spread as rapidly, but the interactions feel more intentional and authentic. I say yes to increased authenticity in our web. When we aim for authenticity, we do not only consume bland content; it gets meaningful on a deeper level.

For example, research shows that the LGBTQ+ community feels more comfortable away from the discrimination on the global web scene. Obviously mutual respect and understanding is where we need to go and designing platforms that respect and accommodate the unique needs and values of different communities will increase the well-being of individuals.

Mastodon faces an uphill battle in growth and funding compared to X, lacking ad revenue, billionaire backing, and the scale of a centralized platform. Its decentralized, donation-based model prioritizes people over profit—but that also makes rapid expansion much harder.

Mastodon’s rise isn’t just a trend—it’s a signal. People are hungry for digital spaces built around autonomy, community, and care. By embracing decentralization and designing for humans, not algorithms, we’re building a web that’s safer, more inclusive, and rooted in real connection. A human web is taking shape.

For too long, the narrative has been dominated by hype, numbers—metrics, valuations, and growth rates. Degens have been in control. But what if we shifted our focus away from the tech-first approach and instead prioritized the well-being of the people who will inhabit our web?

The next edition of our digital environment should not be defined by the latest buzzwords or the promise of decentralization for its own sake. Instead, it should be built on a foundation of human-centric principles, designed to address the greatest challenges facing humanity today. And we have plenty of issues within health, education, equality, and the climate that Web3 technology can be a solution for.

For example, blockchain-based identity solutions are giving people in underserved regions access to financial services, education, and healthcare, empowering them with autonomy over their own digital identity. Meanwhile, in developed countries, Web3 is transforming access to essential services—decentralized health records are improving patient care, blockchain-based education platforms are making high-quality learning more accessible, tokenized carbon credits are useful in climate action, and decentralized funding models are helping close economic gaps, fostering greater equality.

No, we never needed decentralized digital casinos.

A human-centric web is one that places people at the heart of its design and purpose. It's about creating digital spaces that enhance our lives rather than consuming them. Hey, Web3 is supposed to be about freedom. Think about how the technology of the web is sucking the attention away from our reality and stealing our time. We really need to be moving away from the relentless pursuit of engagement and attention and towards fostering genuine connections and meaningful experiences.

It’s common sense. Technology is not an end in itself but a means to support our well-being. A world where the tools we build are designed to solve real problems. This is not about chasing the next 1000x coin; it's about building a future where technology serves as a force for good. We could start by addressing how Web3 technology is sucking us inside the web instead of assisting our life in reality.

“We need increased awareness of how the web touches our sensitive lives.”

As humans, we are incredibly sensitive to technological changes, with even subtle shifts in our digital environment profoundly influencing our behaviors, emotions, and overall well-being.

The tech-first approach has led us to a place where innovation often feels disconnected from the realities of everyday life. We've become accustomed to chasing the next big trend, the next disruptive idea, without always considering the human impact. But what if we flipped the script? What if we started with the problems that matter most to us and worked backward to create solutions that truly make a difference? For real this time!

This shift requires a change in mindset—one that values empathy as much as innovation and prioritizes impact over hype. It means involving different voices in the creation of technology, ensuring that the tools we build reflect the needs and experiences of all people, not just a tech-savvy privileged few.

“The future of our digital society is not predestined.”

It's a choice—one that we make every time we decide what to build, how to build it, and why. In the end, the success of our digital future should not be controlled by greedy degens. Even our digital future is about people. I hope.

Every wallet address, every avatar, almost every like in our web represents a real person with dreams, fears, and aspirations. They are not just data points or economic actors; they are individuals with personal and professional lives. Our lives are rich and complex, and our reality is calling for our attention. For Web3 technology to fully consider our life situations, and create a better society and consider our well-being, we need to put people first.

When we reduce people to wallet addresses or avatars, we risk losing sight of their humanity. We forget that behind every transaction, every interaction, there's a person with a story. A person with hopes and doubts, with loved ones and responsibilities. A life.

Designing Web3 systems that respect and value people means actually recognizing that we are human. It means creating technologies that serve and empower individuals, rather than exploiting or manipulating them.

For sure, our time and attention are precious commodities. Yet, too often, technology demands our constant engagement, sucks reality out of us with notifications and alerts, and drags us into doom-scrolling. This relentless pursuit of our attention can leave us feeling drained, overwhelmed, and disconnected from what truly matters.

I do not raise an eyebrow when I find research that shows that valuing time over money is linked to greater happiness. A study published by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology found that people who prioritize their time over financial gain tend to be happier. This insight is crucial as we design Web3 technologies. We must create systems that respect and value people's time, helping them lead more fulfilling lives.

”Web3 need to put people first and money second.”

Web3 has the potential to create this world by rethinking how we engage with digital platforms. Instead of endless notifications and attention-grabbing tactics, we can design systems that encourage mindful engagement. This might mean creating platforms that limit notifications to only the most essential updates or that provide tools for users to manage their digital time effectively.

No, I do not want to get constant notifications from Temu just because I once ordered a few bamboo socks. I don’t even want to spin their wheel where we always get bonuses. This is a Web3 issue because we don’t want a luring, complete financialization of our existence online.

I like the idea of decentralized social networks where users can customize their feeds to prioritize content from close connections, reducing the noise and clutter that often dominate traditional social media.

What if Web3 technology could actually help us value the moments when we choose to disconnect? In a world where being "always reachable online" is often seen as a badge of honor, Web3 can encourage us to take a step back into reality.

We need guidance, not be misguided. To be honest, I think even adults need parental guidance on how we spend our time on the web. Clearly, we cannot trust the big technology companies to do the online parenting of us.

The future is promising. Web3 can address the inefficiencies that often plague digital interactions. By using smart contracts and automated processes, we can streamline tasks and reduce the time wasted on repetitive or bureaucratic activities. This not only saves time but also allows people to focus on more meaningful pursuits.

But only if we design systems that respect and value our time, attention, and need to live in reality offline.

Are we losing sight of what truly matters in our beloved digital web: genuine human connections? We are bombarded daily with sneaky sales contacts, thinly veiled as networking opportunities. I'm getting worried—are we merely creating another digital platform for transactional interactions? The genuine will to meet people, understand their needs, and support them has taken a backseat to the relentless pursuit of profit.

The business environment has long been dominated by a focus on sales, wins, and financial outcomes. This mindset has permeated our professional lives, reducing interactions to mere transactions and conversations to sales pitches.

Almost daily, I get contact requests from people who want to collaborate... When I answer that I only collaborate on a genuine non-financial basis, they suddenly lose interest. I laugh every time. It’s the perfect way to screen whether we could build authentic relationships.

Why do we keep doing this when we know that our network is the most crucial support system for our growth, success, and happiness in life?

Today, I joined an audio event on LinkedIn that got me thinking. The speaker, Zion, suggested that we adopt the "farmer mindset," where we cultivate relationships like we tend to a garden. Instead of focusing on immediate gains, we nurture the soil, plant seeds, and patiently wait for them to grow. This mindset values long-term growth over short-term wins, recognizing that genuine connections are the lifeblood of any thriving community. This is absolutely what we need when we build in Web3!

In the context of the Human Web, this means creating an environment where people feel valued for who they are, not just what they can offer. It's about building a digital space that prioritizes well-being, empathy, and mutual support. When all interactions are based solely on professional or financial considerations, we risk depleting the very resources that make us human.

We need to be reminded of the absolute necessity for us to embrace this farmer mindset. It’s not just about being nice; it’s about survival. In a world where technology is increasingly intertwined with our daily lives, we must ensure that it serves to enhance our humanity, not diminish it. This means fostering genuine connections, where people feel seen, heard, and valued.

When we build Web3 technology based on shared values and mutual support, rather than just shared financial interests, we create experiences that truly meet the needs of humanity—not merely monetizing every interaction.

The farmer mindset is about planting seeds of kindness, empathy, and support, even when the harvest is uncertain. It’s about recognizing that every interaction is an opportunity to build a stronger, more resilient community. It’s about remembering that we are all in this together, and our collective success depends on our ability to support and uplift one another.

Let's make genuine connections in Web3, not shallow ones. Our goal should be to create a digital environment that nurtures our humanity—a place where we can grow, thrive, and be truly human. Afterall, our humanity is our most important resource, and the quality of our lives, both online and off, is determined by the quality of our relationships.

We are driven by survival, connection, and have a knack for figuring things out. Master Yoda would say, “Curious humans are.” But what kind of digital Web3 are we creating that meets our natural behavior?

Back in the day, our ancestors hunted, gathered, and camped around fires. It’s easy to see that they were motivated by primal needs: food, safety, and belonging. These weren’t incentives in the sense we would talk about today—no gold stars, paychecks, or even tokens for gaming. I mean our natural instincts that are wired into us. As societies grew, so did our systems. Barter turned into coins, tribes into empires, and behavior got tangled up with rewards. It’s interesting to look at what drives our behavior. Philosophers like Aristotle saw virtue as a driver, while economists like Adam Smith claimed it’s all about self-interest.

I lean back in my chair and look at the digital world we are creating. We’re bombarded with incentives—likes, tokenized rewards, governance tokens after participating. This is clearly shaping how we act, often without us noticing. Someone once said that the only thing not incentivized is walking the dog.

I don’t have to say that I’m pro-Web3 technology, but I do need to say that we need to be mindful of what we’re building, because you and I will increasingly spend our lives in the digital space.

So what’s natural to us? We’re social creatures who thrive on meaning, not just rewards. Studies show we’ll help strangers without a prize, create art for no pay, or stand up for beliefs against the odds. Incentives nudge us, sure, but they don’t own us. We’re also naturally built for cooperation, like sharing a kill back in the day or liking a post today. But we also seem to enjoy competition.

The Web3 space is leaning heavily on incentivizing us to do certain things. It’s built on incentives: earn crypto for creating, stake tokens to vote, trade NFTs for profit. Web3’s pitch is freedom through reward—a system where every action can pay off.

Even my own work with the Proof of Good framework is about incentivizing actions that benefit society, like transparency or sustainability, using Web3 tools. But the incentives are human-centric in theory: aligning rewards with well-being, not just profit.

It’s clear that Web3 is an incentive-heavy model that taps into our love for rewards. A 2024 study by Robert Mowry, explains how rewarding active participation in crypto communities can lead to greater success for projects. He found that giving incentives for meaningful involvement in discussions helps these communities thrive. Another 2024 study shows that even small rewards, like $0.10, can encourage more people to complete tasks in blockchain systems, with some cases seeing a 12-fold increase in participation. Additionally, a review article in Frontiers in Blockchain explores how thoughtfully designed reward systems can boost involvement in local community activities. But…

I’d argue that incentives shouldn’t always rule us—and Web3 risks overdoing it. We don’t just chase carrots. We’re messy, meaning-driven souls. I’ve seen it in my work as a health professional. People exercise for joy, not just for a slimmer waist, and my readers tell me they seek spirituality for peace, not points.

If Web3 connects every action to a token, it could take away our natural motivation—the kind that makes us human, not machines. As a health professional working with behavior science, I see this in self-determination theory: too many rewards can actually weaken motivation.

Web3’s human-centric promise shines when it balances incentives with freedom. Take Bitcoin: it’s about sovereignty, not just profit. Or consider NFTs—beyond the hype, they’re about creators owning their work. But if it’s all gamified pay-to-play, we might lose the soul of it. A thriving digital future needs room for humanness, curiosity, and quirks—not just wallets.

Frankly, I know that incentives should not always steer us. They’re tools, not the ultimate solution in creating a human-centered web.

Web3 could align with our nature if it honors both our reward-loving and meaning-seeking sides. Take the reward of kindness itself, for example. Will it prevail over the power of greed?

Put differently, if Web3 chains us to endless token hunts, it’s less human-centric than it claims. My incentive for this article is the joy of writing. Priceless. We need more initiatives that are priceless and deeply connected to our humanness—not just to our wallets.

Web3 was supposed to set us free. More autonomy. More ownership. More control. But after a weekend on a tiny island in Sweden, I’m starting to wonder: is it actually making life easier—or just pushing us deeper into a digital existence?

I don’t know if we were ever aiming for a technology that serves humanity, because look around. Instead of giving us more time to be human, it feels like we’re being asked to put more and more of our lives on-chain, in permanent, trackable, financialized ways.

I don’t think everything should be online.

I don’t want my reputation, relationships, or real-life actions to be turned into tokens, scores, or assets. But that’s exactly where things seem to be heading.

Hear my frustration. Technology is supposed to free us, not capture us.

I mean, the washing machine freed up hours of manual labor. And the car gave us the ability to explore and connect. Oh yes, the telephone let us communicate instantly without travel. These technologies saved time and made human life easier.

Now look at digital technology:

• Social media gave us connection—but also addiction.
• The smartphone gave us convenience—but took away presence.
• Web3 promised us decentralization—but sometimes feels like it's just making everything a marketplace.

Yes I am bullish, cryptocurrencies are effective in cross-border transactions and save time, and smart contracts can be tremendously helpful in providing effective solutions when certain conditions are aligned. All that big-tech stuff is useful for our financial system and can benefit companies and society. But…

I mean, where is the part where technology gives us back time instead of just finding new ways to extract our attention, our data, and now—our very identities?

After a weekend offline, it’s refreshingly clear—our humanness exists beyond the blockchain. Most of life doesn’t need to be on-chain. In fact, almost nothing does!

• Do we need every purchase, every interaction, every choice to be permanently recorded?
• Do we need to turn every action into a financial transaction?
• Do we need to tie our identity to an unchangeable ledger?

Question: When I tokenize my soul (on Cardano), can I sell it to the devil for a quick buck? Or do I need to use the SOL network for that?

I get why trustless, transparent systems matter for big things—finance, governance, global coordination. But my everyday life, or soul, should not be tracked with the same permanence.

Web3 has the potential to give us freedom, but only if we use it in ways that actually make life easier—not just more digital. Dear Web3 God, I’ve got one request: Can I get my daughter back from the digital abyss that snatched her?

The web algorithm has figured out that fear keeps us engaged longer than nuance ever will. This is a problem because fear brings chaos, misinformation, and crap to our beloved web. It’s not a coincidence. A study by MIT found that false news spreads six times faster than real news. Why? Because misinformation is designed to trigger reactions, and reactions mean engagement. And in Web2, engagement equals profit.

Yes—Web3 was supposed to fix this with decentralization, ownership, and freedom!
But I have a fear that instead of doomscrolling, we are building tokenized engagement loops. Instead of being trapped by algorithms, we’ll be trapped by financial incentives. And suddenly, "digital ownership" might just mean we own a piece of our own exploitation. It’s like paid doomscrolling. That’s not the experience I want in the human web we are creating.

Do not get me wrong. Web3 has tremendous potential; that is why we need to consider where we are heading.
I have previously touched upon the fact that we have already turned our lives into content. We monetized our hobbies. We branded our personalities. I agree with a friendly follower on LinkedIn who said, “Back in the day, the internet felt genuine.”

Great news, some Web3 projects are asking the right questions:
Twimbit is trying to make research more accessible instead of just viral. WeAre8 wants to reshape social media so that engagement isn’t just about outrage and dopamine hits.The Prosocial Media Movement is working on ways to build online spaces that reward thoughtful interaction over emotional knee-jerk responses.

I am not saying that these projects are the panacea for Web2’s disease. But at least they’re recognizing the problem.
The issue isn’t that the internet is getting (AI) smart. It’s that it’s getting better at manipulating us. AI-driven algorithms, engagement-based incentives, and financialization are all shaping how we think, feel, and interact…and slowly killing many professions.

I do not have the answers to all the questions. But we need to consider if we are building an internet that empowers us, or one that turns us into highly efficient, DEEPLY predictable consumers? Is it too much to ask for Web3 that is kind to our needs and considers our well-being as well?

Let’s soften the sharp greedy corners of the old Web2 structure with human-centric ideas and values. Let’s make the web kind again…

Back in the day, we scrolled through the internet aimlessly, clicking on things because we were curious. We liked posts because we actually liked them. We read articles because we wanted to, not because they were engineered to keep us hooked. Then, a few greedy tech companies realized that our behavior is programmable.

It seemed innocent at first. A notification here. A dopamine hit there. Then social media turned into an engagement battlefield, and suddenly, Web2 became a giant experiment in algorithmic persuasion. You and I were turned into data points to engineer our behavior. You know—the trillion-dollar social media game…

Is Web3 making things better, or is it just turning every action into a transaction? Think about what happens to us in this system:

• Want to post something? Earn a token.
• Want to like something? Get rewarded.
• Want to participate in a community? Stake some crypto first.

At first, I believed it was great to be rewarded for my time in the Web3 system. But I think we need to question: Are we still making choices, or are we just responding to financial stimuli?

Let’s remember why tech companies love gamification—it’s to shape our behavior. We like to believe we’re in control of our actions, but when everything is turned into a game, it taps into something deep in our brains.

It’s frankly frightening. Just look at how we keep checking our phones for that reward. “Maybe this time I’ll get likes, engagement, or even tokens!”

Then there’s FOMO. “Everyone is in the game, and I don’t want to be left out.”

And our cognitive biases? Even worse. Take the sunk cost fallacy—a dangerous mental trap that keeps us chasing likes, followers, or tokens simply because we’ve already invested time and effort, even when it’s unhealthy. It controls our behavior by making us value past effort over our well-being.

We see this same phenomenon in investing in cryptocurrencies or collecting engagement. You already bought in, so you keep playing—even when it stops being smart.

On a societal level, what happens in a fully tokenized economy, where every social interaction has a financial consequence (tied to our crypto wallets)? At what point are we still living real lives, and at what point are we just responding to financial carrots being dangled in front of us?

Look, incentives aren’t inherently bad. They drive innovation. They motivate us. Cool. But at some point, we have to ask: Are we designing systems that serve people, or just ones that extract maximum engagement and financial commitment?

Because we want to create a world where we actually want to be—not one where we feel like we have to be.

The Human Web should be the cure to Web2’s manipulation—not just an upgraded, financialized version of it.

But hey, what do I know? I’m just a like junkie like the rest of us. Please hit the like button.