When the hit HBO show Silicon Valley’s startup Pied Piper announced they would work on a “Brand new internet” at the end of last season, it sounded vague and utterly impossible. Little did we know, though, that there was a real company already building exactly that in stealth mode.
The company is Blockstack and they just announced their product – The Blockstack Browser.
In short, this browser is built using the Blockchain, which is the decentralized technological underpinning powering the growth of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.
To ensure clarity, here’s a snippet of their announcement and a description of what it actually is.
Today we are proud to announce the Blockstack browser, which allows developers everywhere to access a whole new internet. This new internet changes the dynamic and brings the power back to the people. Developers can build apps on this new internet by downloading the Blockstack Mac or Linux app (Windows coming soon) and by using nothing more than existing browsers like Chrome or Safari or Firefox.
Blockchain technology powers this new internet. For the first time ever, you’ll be able to access people, communities, apps, and services built on the blockchain from your browser. This new internet reflects how people interact with each other naturally, as they have for thousands of years. In open marketplaces and societies, people transact directly with other people to offer advice, goods, and services. Human interaction has never needed a middleman. The internet should work how real life works.
Finally, here’s Muneeb Ali’s TED talk about creating this “Brand new internet.”