In July the European Commission issued a press release announcing the adoption of a strategy on virtual worlds:

Today, the Commission has adopted a new strategy on Web 4.0 and virtual worlds to steer the next technological transition and ensure an open, secure, trustworthy, fair and inclusive digital environment for EU citizens, businesses and public administrations.

The internet is evolving at an extremely fast pace.  Beyond the currently developing third generation of the internet, Web 3.0, whose main features are openness, decentralisation, and user full empowerment, the next generation, Web 4.0, will allow an integration between digital and real objects and environments, and enhanced interactions between humans and machines.

In the Commission document the ‘virtual worlds’, Web 3.0 and Web 4.0 are explained as follows:

Virtual worlds are persistent, immersive environments, based on technologies including 3D and extended reality (XR), which make it possible to blend physical and digital worlds in real-time, for a variety of purposes such as designing, making simulations, collaborating, learning, socialising, carrying out transactions or providing entertainment.

Web 3.0 is the third generation of the World Wide Web. Its main features are openness, decentralisation, and users’ full empowerment enabling them to control and realise the economic value of their data, manage their online identities and participate in governing the web. Semantic web capabilities allow linking data across webpages, applications and files. Decentralised technologies and digital twins enable peer-to-peer transactions, transparency, data democracy and innovation along entire value chains.

Web 4.0 is the expected fourth generation of the World Wide Web. Using advanced artificial and ambient intelligence, the internet of things, trusted blockchain transactions, virtual
worlds and XR capabilities, digital and real objects and environments are fully integrated and communicate with each other, enabling truly intuitive, immersive experiences, seamlessly blending the physical and digital worlds.

It sounds like something that a mankind still at war everywhere is far from ready for. And it makes me fear that Europe has sold its soul to the US Big Tech devil.

My impression is that this puts them way ahead of the music, now that we are currently living in a very insecure digital landscape.

More information:

• Press release Towards the next technological transition: Commission presents EU strategy to lead on Web 4.0 and virtual worlds, Commission 11 July 2023 (pdf version).
• Commission document: communication from the Commission on An EU initiative on Web 4.0 and virtual worlds: a head start in the next technological transition, 11 July 2023 (COM(2023) 442/final).
• Questions and answers, 11 July 2023.
• Factsheet: Virtual Worlds and Web 4.0, 11 July 2023.
• Factsheet: How to develop desirable and fair virtual worlds? The citizens’ perspective, 11 July 2023.
• Communication: An EU initiative on Web 4.0 and virtual worlds, 11 July 2023.
• Citizens’ report from the European citizens’ panel on virtual worlds, 11 July 2023.
• Staff working document: information, insights and market trends on web 4.0 and virtual worlds, 11 July 2023.
• News announcement – Next generation virtual worlds: opportunities, challenges, and policy implications, Joint Research Centre 3 July 2023.
• Article An EU initiative on virtual worlds: a head start in the next technological transition, 11 July 2023.
• Article New EU Initiative on Web 4.0 and Virtual Worlds – meet Horizon 2020 projects and their contributions, European Health and Digital Executive Agency, 13 July 2023.
• Policy page Virtual Worlds fit for people.