Unlocking Web3 Policy

3 Credits · Level: Graduate

Can you actually purchase the constitution from a DAO? Are we all going to live in the metaverse? And what is the deal with Bored Apes? This is all part of what crypto experts call Web3, a term used by many, but often misunderstood. It promises a new iteration of the World Wide Web, which is based on decentralization, blockchain, and token-based economics. Evangelists of this new web-revolution promise this new internet will democratize the way we interact with everything from domain names to ownership. But most importantly: the promise of online privacy is unencumbered by corporate gatekeepers. But is this even possible? This course will discuss the evolution of Web3 from the Satoshi genesis block to decentralized finance. We will break down core concepts in cryptocurrency and explore emerging issues like NFTs, DAOs, and decentralized storage. While Web3 appears to be unique, it still needs to interact with standing laws in intellectual property, financial services, and even content moderation. Web3 promises to bring the internet back to its roots, what is old is new again, and we will explore core concepts in the field to distinguish between fact and fud.