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Web4 (sometimes styled Web 4.0) is a proposed label for a phase in the evolution of the World Wide Web beyond Web3. The term has competing meanings in academic and policy writing. In computer-science literature it has been described as a symbiotic web of human–machine interaction and intelligent services.[1] In 2023 the European Commission linked “Web 4.0” to immersive, interoperable “virtual worlds” and highly distributed technologies, signalling policy interest but not a formal standard.[2][3]
Background
[edit]The earliest phase of the web, retrospectively called Web 1.0, is commonly associated with largely static pages and one-way publishing (“read-only”).[4][5] In the mid-2000s, Web 2.0 became a prominent label for participatory, user-generated and social-network features (“read–write”).[6][7] From the late 2010s, Web3 was popularized to describe internet services built around blockchains and tokens, emphasizing decentralized ownership claims.[8][9]
Concepts and definitions
[edit]Academic and policy sources frame Web 4.0 as:
- a symbiotic or intelligent web in which humans and machines interact in close cooperation (e.g., agent-based, proactive services);[1]
- a ubiquitous/pervasive computing paradigm connecting devices, sensors and services (sometimes overlapping with the Internet of things or “Web of Things”);[10]
- an umbrella for convergences among AI, M2M communication, big data, augmented/virtual reality, and immersive environments.[11]
Policy and governance
[edit]The European Commission’s 2023 communication ties “Web 4.0” to “virtual worlds” and proposes actions on open standards, skills and user protection.[3][2] A Commission Q&A summarises planned measures and terminology.[12]
Relationship to earlier labels
[edit]| Scope | Web 1.0 | Web 2.0 | Web3 | Web4 (proposed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core metaphor | Publishing | Platforms & social UGC | On-chain ownership via tokens | Symbiotic web; on-chain coordination; agentic services |
| Data/identity | Site-local | Platform accounts | Wallets, smart contracts | Wallet-native identity + machine agents |
| Interaction | Mostly read | Read/write, network effects | Programmable assets & incentives | Human–machine cooperation; execution/concurrency |
Usage in cryptocurrency discourse
[edit]In cryptocurrency communities the label is sometimes used to describe a shift from platform-mediated participation to token-mediated participation. Reporting has linked this rhetoric with waves of “memecoin” activity that function as cultural or social-coordination assets; such markets are widely described as volatile and speculative.[13][14][15][16]
Criticism and ambiguity
[edit]Peer-reviewed surveys and policy commentary note that “Web 4.0” lacks a stable, widely accepted definition and overlaps with related narratives (e.g., the Semantic Web and Web3).[1][17]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c Aghaei, Sareh; Nematbakhsh, Mohammad Ali; Farsani, Hadi Khosravi (2012). "Evolution of the World Wide Web: From Web 1.0 to Web 4.0" (PDF). International Journal of Web & Semantic Technology. 3 (1): 1–10. doi:10.5121/ijwest.2012.3101. Retrieved {{subst:CURRENTDAY}} {{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|access-date=(help) - ^ a b "EU strategy to lead on Web 4.0 and virtual worlds". European Commission – Press corner. 10 July 2023. Retrieved {{subst:CURRENTDAY}} {{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|access-date=(help) - ^ a b "An EU initiative on Web 4.0 and virtual worlds: a head start in the next technological transition (COM(2023) 442)". EUR-Lex. European Commission. 11 July 2023. Retrieved {{subst:CURRENTDAY}} {{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|access-date=(help) - ^ "A short history of the Web". CERN. Retrieved {{subst:CURRENTDAY}} {{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|access-date=(help) - ^ "Information Management: A Proposal". W3C. Tim Berners-Lee. 1989. Retrieved {{subst:CURRENTDAY}} {{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|access-date=(help) - ^ Participative Web and User-Created Content: Web 2.0, Wikis and Social Networking (PDF) (Report). OECD. 2007. Retrieved {{subst:CURRENTDAY}} {{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}.
{{cite report}}: Check date values in:|access-date=(help) - ^ O’Reilly, Tim (2007). "What Is Web 2.0: Design Patterns and Business Models for the Next Generation of Software". SSRN. SSRN 1008839. 1008839. Retrieved {{subst:CURRENTDAY}} {{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|access-date=(help) - ^ Kshetri, Narendra (6 May 2022). "What Is Web3?". Harvard Business Review. Retrieved {{subst:CURRENTDAY}} {{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}.
{{cite magazine}}: Check date values in:|access-date=(help) - ^ "What is Web3 technology (and why is it important)?". McKinsey & Company. 10 October 2023. Retrieved {{subst:CURRENTDAY}} {{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|access-date=(help) - ^ Almeida, Fernando (2017). "Concept and Dimensions of Web 4.0". International Journal of Computers and Technology. 16 (7): 7040–7045. doi:10.24297/ijct.v16i7.6446. Retrieved {{subst:CURRENTDAY}} {{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|access-date=(help) - ^ Ibrahim, Asaad Khaleel (2021). "Evolution of the Web: from Web 1.0 to 4.0". Qubahan Academic Journal. 1 (3): 20–28. doi:10.48161/qaj.v1n3a75. Retrieved {{subst:CURRENTDAY}} {{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|access-date=(help) - ^ "Q&A: EU initiative on Web 4.0 and virtual worlds". European Commission – Press corner. 10 July 2023. Retrieved {{subst:CURRENTDAY}} {{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|access-date=(help) - ^ "Cryptoverse: Trump drubs Biden in meme coins". Reuters. 25 June 2024. Retrieved {{subst:CURRENTDAY}} {{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|access-date=(help) - ^ Asgari, Nikou; Hawkins, Oliver; Hemingway, Eade (7 February 2025). "Donald Trump's memecoin copycats spark fears for investors". Financial Times. Retrieved {{subst:CURRENTDAY}} {{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|access-date=(help) - ^ "Explaining meme coins and why they often crash". PBS NewsHour. 17 April 2025. Retrieved {{subst:CURRENTDAY}} {{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|access-date=(help) - ^ "Virtual assets 2024 review and 2025 outlook". KPMG China. 19 December 2024. Retrieved {{subst:CURRENTDAY}} {{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|access-date=(help) - ^ "Virtual worlds and Web 4.0: the European Union's strategy (overview)". European Commission — Shaping Europe’s Digital Future. 11 July 2023. Retrieved {{subst:CURRENTDAY}} {{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|access-date=(help)