(Originally Posted July 17th 2023)
Web 3 is a platform that offers many opportunities for a participant. Finding what to do is difficult for many if they don’t already have a plan. Some participants engage with dApps, their secondary tokens, and join communities with the main focus being the dApp. Other participants cross post some of their content from Web 2 to Web 3 or vice versa and share with a community related to the content. A few participants may decide to develop their own dApps or secondary token to start a new community and incite engagement with participants interested in what is being developed. There is lots to do but usually participation requires resources to take action on Web 3. The decentralized internet is an entirely different beast when it comes to creation, action, and transaction. A participant must hold some aspect from the foundational Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, or resource to make an action on Web 3, unlike Web2 platforms where a user on a platform service can click on a button to instantly create, share, and interact with a post or article. There is a difference between being a ‘User’ and being a ‘Participant’. Platforms on the centralized internet invite everybody to be a ‘user’ of their space and freely allow account creations to generate more ‘users’ of a site, there may be incentives to create an account and milestones to reach by consistent use of the platform. The goal of this type of system is to turn a person into a ‘User’ of that platform. Platforms on a decentralized internet almost always require everybody to ‘participate’ in their space with accounts being able to take action by backing, staking, or holding assets, taking action require being a part of something related to the topic and thus being a ‘Participant’. This type of system is put in place to ensure anybody engaging with that subject at least has an interest on the matter.
Figuring out Web 3 and what to do requires lots of research, not just on the topic but also the specific platform. Many dApps have a ‘White Paper’ that explain exactly what their goals are and what the purpose is on the Blockchain/decentralized internet. Research on any subject regarding Blockchain, dApps, Cryptocurrency and tokens are almost always required before making a move to participate with. This area is still new and there is nobody who can save an account, the keys, or the assets held if it gets taken. It’s all on the single person interacting with the decentralized aspect. Read up and double check if unsure!
Helpful Links:
https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/article/how-to-read-and-analyze-a-white-paper – Every dApp developer lists a white paper to ensure future participants the legitimacy of the project and a roadmap for future developments that could garner interest.
Do a google search of “What is the difference between a User and a Participant” – You’ll get some useful definitions that might set a more clear understanding of the terms.
https://cointelegraph.com/learn/what-are-dapps-everything-there-is-to-know-about-decentralized-applications – another look at dApps and what they focus on.