ACM CoNEXT 2024 Ushers in a New Chapter for Internet Decentralization
ACM CoNEXT 2024: Exploring solutions for a decentralized internet at the DIN workshop.
Matilda
ACM CoNEXT 2024 Ushers in a New Chapter for Internet Decentralization
The recent ACM CoNEXT 2024 conference brought together a distinguished gathering of researchers, policymakers, and digital rights activists to explore the pressing issue of internet centralization. This trend towards consolidation has significant implications for the core tenets of the internet, including user control and permissionless innovation. The Decentralization of the Internet Research Group (DINRG) of the Internet Research Task Force (IRTF) has been spearheading efforts to investigate the root causes and ramifications of internet centralization. The DIN workshop at ACM CoNEXT 2024 provided a platform for researchers to showcase their ongoing work in this area and raise awareness about this critical issue. Why is Internet Decentralization Important? The internet's current trajectory towards centralization transcends technical concerns. It carries profound economic and societal consequences that impact users on a global scale. Centralized platforms often prioritize profit over…