One of the most important things in our lives today is the internet. Ever since it was formed, people have found many uses that help to improve the way people live. Some of the main uses and fields where the internet is crucial include; the first is in communication. The internet made it easy for people to communicate with each other. Due to this, it has been applied in both domestic and commercial use. Families living apart can communicate with each other, and organizations can communicate to improve their efficiency. Other than communication, the internet has been used to improve the connection between people in society through social media, and it has also had a huge impact on entertainment.
Cryptocurrency developed from blockchain technology has the potential to change everything we know and understand about the internet. It has the potential to affect our entire lives and improve some of the features that people do not love about the internet. Before getting to understand the solutions, it is important to know the problem and how it affects people from all over the world, including Africa.
The internet is developed as a structure. At the bottom or the top, depending on how the structure is presented, is the TCP/IP protocol. This is what enables the entire internet. The TCP/IP might be explained as the caregiver to the entire internet or the mother that produces all the features we use of the internet. All the other websites and applications people use in the world are produced over the TCP/IP, meaning that without the TCP/IP, all the websites and applications used would not be developed. The development of the TCP/IP was a crucial milestone for the human race. Its development led to many of the major internet providers we know and love, including Google, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and many more. It is true to say that the development of the TCP/IP is the main reason why everybody is always glued to their phones 24/7.
The internet has had a lot of growth and a positive impact on the world. But it also led to a few problems down the road. After the internet was developed, it was discovered that the TCP/IP had no tokens, meaning people could not own the internet or make from the growth the internet had to the world. But the applications and websites produced could make a lot of money. Some applications made a lot of money and became giants in the world. Some examples of these include Google, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, just to mention a few. The problem that developed is that people could not own the internet, but they could own these websites and companies. When the companies grew in size, they gained a lot of money, power, and influence and started abusing their powers. Some of the most common and known ways these company abuse their powers include; the first is data mining. As long as you use their services, they mine data about you. They get to analyze some of your interests and wants. Sometimes this might be beneficial, while it causes problems for their users most of the time.
The second challenge with these websites and applications created is that they started controlling people and what they can say on their websites. Censorship might not seem to be a problem to most people, but when people are being censored from speaking out the truth and facts about the problems happening in society, this becomes a huge issue. A good example happened on YouTube. One of the major Indian News stations has a YouTube channel where they post their news regularly. One of the recent videos they posted on the platform was a press briefing made by the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs. The minister said that Russia had not attacked Ukraine, which we all know is wrong. The problem developed when YouTube blocked the video stating that the channel was reporting lies. Some of the issues with this included that the channel did not say those words; the minister did. The second problem is that many other news stations also posted the news being censored from Western countries, but only the video from the Indian News Station was blocked. This is what happens to ensure people from developing countries such as Africa do not know the full story or they do not develop to be as big as companies from the superpowers in the world.
Cryptocurrency and blockchain technology has the ability to duplicate the TCP/IP protocol but change the challenges the protocol has had over the years. Some of the most common cryptocurrencies that are trying to change this include; Ethereum, Cardano, Solana, Terra Luna, Polka Dot, and Cosmos. All these cryptocurrencies have one main advantage over the TCP/IP protocol; people can own shares of the entire system. They create a protocol that sits at the bottom of the system and gives people the freedom and ability to create websites and applications. These websites and applications allow people to communicate freely without fear of being censored. The best thing about this system, the users of the platforms developed might be the owners of the protocol used. Meaning applications will not have the power to misuse their authority and oppress their users, who might be their bosses.
It’s about time people have control of their lives. Africans should take this opportunity and invest in these cryptocurrencies early. A good example of how people can do this is by investing in Ethereum as a validator, meaning you will own a percentage of the entire protocol being used by future social media platforms. This will ensure that Africans have people representing them on such platforms and that they are protected and their opinions aired on an international platform. Many people from abroad do not know the truth about Africa. It’s about time Africans show the world the beauty that lies in this continent. Cryptocurrency is changing the world in multiple ways, and Africa should not miss out on the benefits to be realized.
