Web 3.0 Requires Data Integrity

The essay argues that as the web evolves toward a decentralized, AI-driven Web 3.0, data integrity must become the dominant security priority, surpassing the availability emphasis of Web 1.0 and the confidentiality focus of Web 2.0. It outlines a layered approach to integrity—from hardware and filesystems through ML frameworks to user interfaces—highlighting risks of biased, corrupted, or unverifiable AI outputs without robust controls. The authors call for granular access, advanced authentication, transparent data ownership, and standardized access, leveraging open W3C protocols (DIDs, verifiable credentials, ActivityPub, Solid, WebAuthn) to ensure provenance and trust. They conclude that integrity-focused standards should become foundational, akin to how HTTPS underpins today’s trusted web services.