The Next Web: Decentralized, Transparent, Co‑Owned
The internet is at a crossroads. For years, a handful of powerful platforms controlled how we connect, share, and learn online. Today, regulators, users, and innovators are pushing back, demanding transparency, fairness, and real choice. From landmark EU enforcement actions to new consumer protections in the United States, the rules of the digital game are being rewritten. Meanwhile, audiences are voting with their clicks, migrating toward social and video platforms for news and abandoning traditional gatekeepers. This shift is not just about technology; it is about who owns the value we create together and who sets the rules. A decentralized, privacy-first, co-owned web is no longer a dream, it is taking shape right now.
Why the old model is fading
Centralized platforms promised convenience and connection, but they delivered data hoarding, opaque algorithms, and value extraction at scale. Users are tired of handing over personal information without knowing how it is used or who profits. Increasingly, people want privacy, meaningful choice, and a clearer stake in the digital economy they help build. Decentralized and co-owned models flip the script: instead of feeding data into a black box, contributors share in the value they create, whether through knowledge, computing power, or creative work.
Independent research confirms this appetite for change. According to the Reuters Institute Digital News Report, audiences are moving toward social media and video platforms for news, putting fresh pressure on legacy publishers and old-guard platforms to become more transparent and responsive. At the same time, projects like Marpole are building systems where governance, rewards, and data flow are open by design, aligning with a vision of a fairer digital economy built on shared value and transparent participation. The old model is not just unpopular; it is becoming unworkable.
EU's Digital Markets Act, in plain terms
The Digital Markets Act, or DMA, is the European Union's answer to platform power. It targets large online "gatekeepers," companies whose services are so central to digital life that losing access can lock users and businesses out of entire markets. The DMA prohibits practices like self-preferencing, where a platform ranks its own products above competitors, and anti-steering, where users are blocked from learning about cheaper options elsewhere. The goal is simple: restore competition, choice, and fairness.
Enforcement is real and moving fast. On 23 April 2025, the European Commission announced fines totaling €700 million against Apple and Meta for breaching the DMA. Apple was fined €500 million for anti-steering violations related to its App Store policies, and Meta received a €200 million penalty for issues tied to user consent practices. These penalties, detailed in the Commission's official announcement, mark the first major fines under the new law and signal that Brussels is serious. Investigations into other platforms are ongoing, and earlier preliminary findings have been issued, indicating that scrutiny will only intensify.
For everyday users, DMA enforcement can translate into tangible benefits: choice screens that let you pick your default browser or search engine, easier switching between messaging apps or cloud services, and less lock-in across core platform features. The law aims to make digital markets work for people, not just for the biggest players.
AI transparency: what to expect
Artificial intelligence is woven into nearly every corner of digital life, from recommendation engines to chatbots to content moderation. Yet most users have no idea when they are interacting with an AI system or who is accountable for its decisions. The EU AI Act introduces phased transparency duties designed to change that. Under the act, providers of certain AI systems must disclose when users are engaging with AI and label AI-generated content clearly. Guidance documents and a code of practice are being drafted, with broader transparency requirements scheduled to take effect starting in 2026.
In practice, this should mean clearer signals in apps and online services. You might see a badge or notice when a chatbot is AI-powered, or a watermark on synthetic images and video. These labels help you assess trustworthiness and make informed choices about the content you consume and share. The push for AI transparency fits into the wider movement toward open, user-respecting systems that prioritize accountability over opacity. It echoes the principles championed by projects building fairer tech infrastructure, where rules are explicit and users understand how decisions are made.
Goodbye dark patterns in subscriptions
Dark patterns are manipulative design tricks that nudge or trap users into choices they would not freely make. Pre-checked boxes, hidden cancellation links, and confusing opt-out flows have plagued subscription services for years. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission updated its Negative Option Rule to crack down on these abuses. The rule strengthens requirements for clear consent, upfront pricing details, and simple "click to cancel" mechanisms. It took effect in January 2025, and companies must comply by May 2025, giving businesses a short window to clean up their user experiences.
The practical impact is straightforward: canceling a subscription should be as easy as signing up. No more hunting through settings, calling customer service during narrow hours, or navigating intentionally confusing menus. If a service charges you automatically, the provider must tell you the cost, frequency, and terms clearly before you commit, and it must offer a one-click cancellation path. Together with the EU's DMA enforcement, which targets anti-steering and lock-in tactics, the FTC rule reflects a coordinated global effort to rein in manipulative design and restore genuine user control.
How our news habits are shifting
Where people get their news is changing fast. Traditional outlets, from newspapers to broadcast networks, are losing ground to social media feeds, video platforms, and algorithmically curated streams. The shift is especially pronounced among younger audiences, who treat platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram as primary news sources. Independent research captures this transformation: findings from the 2025 Digital News Report document growing reliance on social and video channels, challenging the distribution models that legacy publishers built over decades.
This migration matters for everyone, not just journalists and media executives. As attention moves to algorithm-driven platforms, questions about transparency, ranking, and accountability become more urgent. How does a platform decide which stories to show you? Can you adjust or override its recommendations? Is the content you see created by humans, AI, or some hybrid? Without clear answers, trust erodes. The same regulatory push driving DMA enforcement and AI transparency rules applies here: users deserve to understand the systems shaping their information diet. For readers, the shift offers more choice and immediacy, but it also demands better labels, controls, and accountability from the platforms delivering the news.
What decentralized, co‑owned systems promise
Decentralization spreads power across many participants instead of concentrating it in one company's servers. In a decentralized network, no single entity controls your data, identity, or access. That reduces platform lock-in and gives users more freedom to move between services, take their information with them, and choose how they participate. Co-ownership takes the idea further by rewarding contributors directly. If you share knowledge, lend computing resources, or help train an AI model, a co-owned system can ensure you receive a fair share of the value created, rather than letting all the gains flow to a corporate balance sheet.
Transparent rules and open participation curb the opacity and surveillance that define today's dominant platforms. When governance is shared and algorithms are auditable, users can see how decisions are made and challenge unfair outcomes. These principles are not abstract; they are being implemented in real projects. Marpole's vision, for example, illustrates how a fairer distribution of value and governance might work in practice, building an ecosystem where contributors are rewarded transparently and decision-making is distributed rather than top-down. Decentralized, co-owned models will not solve every problem overnight, but they offer a credible path toward an internet that respects privacy, rewards contribution, and puts users back in control.
What you can do next
Regulatory change and platform innovation create new opportunities, but only if you know where to look and how to take advantage. Start by watching for DMA-driven updates in the apps and services you use daily. You may see choice screens prompting you to select a default browser, search engine, or app store. Try them. Compare services you have never considered before. If switching costs drop, experimenting becomes easier and you might discover tools that better match your needs.
Look for AI transparency labels and notices as they roll out over the next year. Many apps will add disclosures about AI-generated content or automated decision-making. Learn how to adjust recommendation settings, turn off personalized targeting, or request explanations for algorithmic choices. The more familiar you become with these controls, the more power you reclaim.
Review your subscriptions now, before the next billing cycle. Use the new click-to-cancel tools required under the FTC rule. Turn off autorenewal for services you rarely use. Save confirmation emails and check your statements regularly. These small habits add up to real savings and reduce the risk of being trapped by dark patterns.
Finally, explore privacy-first tools and communities that align with shared ownership and transparent value distribution. Whether it is a decentralized social network, an open-source collaboration platform, or a co-owned AI project, experimenting with alternatives helps you understand what a fairer internet can feel like. If the idea of co-owned, privacy-respecting AI resonates with you, consider learning more about how projects like Marpole are building systems that reward contributors and distribute governance transparently.
FAQs
What is the EU's Digital Markets Act and how could it affect the apps I use?
The Digital Markets Act is an EU regulation targeting large online gatekeepers like app stores, search engines, and social platforms. It bans anti-competitive practices such as self-preferencing and anti-steering. For users, the DMA can mean more choice screens, easier switching between services, and less lock-in, making digital markets fairer and more competitive.
When will AI transparency labels start appearing for everyday users?
The EU AI Act introduces phased transparency requirements. Guidance and codes of practice are being finalized now, with broader obligations expected to take effect starting in 2026. You should start seeing clearer disclosures about AI interactions and labels on AI-generated content over the next year as providers roll out compliance measures.
What are dark patterns in subscriptions and how do new FTC rules help me?
Dark patterns are manipulative design tricks like hidden cancellation links, pre-checked boxes, and confusing opt-out flows that trap users into unwanted subscriptions. The FTC's updated Negative Option Rule, effective January 2025 with full compliance required by May 2025, mandates clear consent, upfront pricing, and simple click-to-cancel mechanisms, making it much easier to manage and end subscriptions.
Are people really getting more of their news from social media and video?
Yes. Independent research, including the 2025 Digital News Report, shows growing reliance on social and video platforms for news, especially among younger audiences. This shift challenges traditional publishers and increases pressure on platforms to be transparent about content ranking, recommendations, and the use of AI in news distribution.
