Not a literal cyborg, but a human leader elevated and elected through the new media landscape of Web 3.0
Cats have oddly found themselves at the center of the Republican bid for the 2024 presidential election. First, it was J.D. Vance, who criticized Democrats as “childless cat ladies.” Then, it was Donald Trump, who falsely accused immigrants of eating dogs and cats during a debate. This fixation on cats aligns with Trump’s rise through social media—a realm where facts are flexible, misinformation spreads quickly, and cats are undeniably popular (recall the phenomenon of “I Can Has Cheezburger?”).
It seems distant now, but in the early 1990s, the web consisted mainly of static websites that could only be updated by programmers—what we now refer to as Web 1.0. Back then, people relied on traditional media and authoritative news sources that adhered to fact-checking standards. Presidents like George Bush and Bill Clinton were elected through traditional means and media.
By the mid-2000s, the web transitioned to Web 2.0, characterized by interactive, user-generated content and social networking. Suddenly, everyone was participating online. Cats, dinner pictures, and selfies dominated platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. The Democrats quickly adopted social media for campaigning and fundraising, culminating in Barack Obama becoming the first “social media president” in 2008.
While social media democratized content creation, it also challenged traditional journalism. Fast, free news from “citizen journalists” replaced more credible sources, and sensationalism often ranked higher than accuracy. Misinformation and disinformation flourished, with the 2016 U.S. election becoming a glaring example. The Russian government interfered with the election through hacking and disinformation campaigns aimed at sabotaging Hillary Clinton’s candidacy and boosting Trump’s. Trump, in turn, became the second “social media president.”
By 2020, governments had enforced identity verification for political ads on social platforms, and people became incrementally savvier in media literacy. Joe Biden won the 2020 presidency, and Kamala Harris now appears poised to win in November of this year.
Around the mid-2010s, the web began evolving once again. Web 3.0 introduces another fundamental shift in how we interact with information, characterized by the rise of distributed computing and artificial intelligence. While its full impact on culture, media, and politics remains uncertain, there are three likely outcomes:
- Enhanced Digital Identity: Improved digital identity systems will secure personal data and permissions, increasing privacy and data portability. This could reduce the misuse of personal data for political targeting and limit mass disinformation attacks as people move away from social media giants.
- Decentralized Computing: The decentralization of computing will disrupt traditional news and financial channels, changing how people learn about politics and fund political campaigns.
- Artificial Intelligence in Decision-Making: AI will increasingly assist people with cognitive tasks, facilitating more trustworthy research and informed voting decisions.
Kamala Harris could soon become the first woman—and the first Black and South Asian American—to be president. As Web 2.0 continues to falter under the weight of disinformation and a toxic culture, Trump may well be remembered as the last “social media president.” But who will be the first “AI president?” Not a literal cyborg, but a human leader elevated and elected through the new media landscape of Web 3.0. Perhaps we will find out by 2028 or 2032.
Update 2024-10-03. TrumpGPT – John Miedema. This may answer the question. 😉
Last Updated on May 15, 2025 | Published: September 13, 2024