- Vitalik Buterin is calling for a “sovereign web” that prioritizes privacy, autonomy, and user independence
- He criticized Big Tech’s engagement-driven model as predatory, homogenized, and psychologically damaging
- His roadmap emphasizes local-first apps, sustainable finance tools, and open AI that empowers users
Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum’s co-founder, is once again pushing back against the way today’s internet works, and honestly, he isn’t subtle about it. In a January 10 post on X, Buterin argued that developers need to stop reinforcing systems that quietly strip users of independence and privacy. Instead, he called for a shift toward what he described as a “sovereign web,” one that actively defends people from constant data extraction and psychological manipulation, even when it’s wrapped in polished branding.
A Direct Shot at Big Tech’s Business Model
Buterin aimed his strongest criticism at the current tech landscape, which he bluntly labeled “corposlop.” In his view, the problem isn’t just bad actors, it’s the entire optimization mindset. Big platforms combine clean design and respectable messaging with deeply predatory incentives, all tuned to maximize profit while slowly eroding user agency. The result is a web that looks refined on the surface but feels hollow once you spend enough time inside it.
Engagement at the Cost of Human Autonomy
According to Buterin, this system produces a kind of digital sameness that feels almost lifeless. Major firms chase short-term engagement through dopamine loops, outrage cycles, and algorithmic nudges that keep people scrolling, clicking, reacting. Long-term value doesn’t really matter in that model, and neither does psychological well-being. Add in mass data collection and closed ecosystems that charge monopolistic fees while blocking interoperability, and users end up trapped in what feels like service, but isn’t.
Redefining What Sovereignty Really Means
In contrast, Buterin argued for a broader definition of digital sovereignty. Back in the early 2000s, sovereignty mostly meant avoiding government censorship, but he says that framing is outdated. Today, real sovereignty also means protecting your mental space and decision-making from subtle corporate pressure. As he put it, it’s about doing things because you believe in them, not because you’ve been nudged into the latest version of “the meta,” which he described as homogenizing and, frankly, soul-sucking.
Building Tools That Respect the User
To get there, Buterin outlined a practical roadmap. Developers should focus on privacy-preserving, local-first applications that don’t depend heavily on third-party intermediaries. He also stressed the importance of financial tools that support steady, sustainable wealth building, while rejecting platforms designed around extreme leverage or casino-like speculation. Interestingly, he even credited Bitcoin maximalists for recognizing this early, noting their resistance to ICOs and complex financial products as an attempt to keep Bitcoin “sovereign” rather than turning into more corposlop. The statement closed with a call for open AI systems that amplify human creativity and productivity, instead of training users to sit back and passively consume.
