• Vitalik Buterin argues that the modern internet is optimized for corporate profit through data extraction, engagement manipulation, and closed platforms.
• Instead, he calls for a shift toward a “sovereign web” built on privacy-preserving, local-first tools that protect against psychological independence from algorithmic influence.
• Buterin also urges developers to reject speculative financial designs and passive AI systems in favor of open technologies.

Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder of Ethereum, has called for the development of digital tools that prioritize user independence and privacy.

In a January 10 statement on social media platform X, Buterin argued that developers must pivot toward building a “sovereign web” that protects users from corporate psychological warfare and data extraction.

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Vitalik Buterin Outlines Plan for ‘Sovereign Web’ Free of Big Tech

Buterin directed his sharpest criticism at the prevailing internet ecosystem, which he labeled “corposlop.”

He defined this dynamic as a convergence of sleek, respectable branding and predatory corporate optimization designed to maximize profit at the expense of user agency.

According to Buterin, this environment is defined by a “soulless” homogeneity. Here, major technology firms prioritize short-term engagement metrics, such as dopamine-driven algorithms and manufactured outrage, over genuine long-term value.

He specifically highlighted the prevalence of unnecessary mass data collection and “walled gardens” that impose monopolistic fees while actively blocking interoperability.

These mechanisms, he contended, create an illusion of service while systematically disempowering the user base.

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In opposition to this commercial model, the Ethereum co-founder advocated for a redefined concept of digital sovereignty.

While the term “sovereignty” historically focused on evading government censorship in the early 2000s, Buterin argued that the modern definition must expand to include securing one’s psychological autonomy.

“[Sovereignty] means doing things because you believe in them, and declaring independence from the homogenizing and soul-sucking concept of ‘the meta,’” Buterin argued.

True sovereignty, he posited, requires cryptographic tools that protect individuals from corporate attempts to harvest their attention and capital.

“I must admit the bitcoin maximalists were far ahead: a big part of their resistance to ICOs, tokens other than bitcoin, arbitrary financial applications, etc was precisely about keeping bitcoin ‘sovereign’ and not ‘corposlop,’” he wrote

To realize this sovereign web, Buterin outlined a specific roadmap for developers. He called for the creation of privacy-preserving, local-first applications that minimize reliance on third-party intermediaries.

Furthermore, Buterin emphasized the need for financial tools that support sustainable wealth accumulation. However, he explicitly rejected platforms that promote high-leverage speculation or “sports betting” behavior.

The statement concluded with a plea for open artificial intelligence systems that merge human and machine productivity, rather than software that fosters user passivity.

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