The internet promised to be an escape from centralised power - a user-controlled, peer-to-peer network that would democratise access and dismantle the gatekeepers. But thanks to the domination of Big Tech and Venture Capital, has that dream been systematically stolen and replaced by a new set of gatekeepers wearing different clothes?

We're joined by Joseph Kennedy - Head of Marketing & Growth at blockchain platform Alephium - who works at the centre of decentralisation and understands better than most the gap between what the technology promised and what it delivered.

Welcome to Ruined By The Internet? - the show where we examine how technology is shaping modern life - whether we want it to or not.

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In this episode we investigate how venture capital and Big Tech quietly captured the decentralisation movement, examine the rise and fall of crypto's public credibility, explore the regulatory battle between governments and decentralised networks, and ask whether true decentralisation is still possible - or whether the centre always wins in the end.

00:00 - The promise of decentralisation and how it was eroded

02:50 - The role of venture capital in shaping crypto

06:11 - The infrastructure dilemma: centralised tools in a decentralised world

08:57 - Public perception of crypto and Web3: how did it go so wrong?

12:11 - The influence of regulation on decentralised innovation

15:08 - Corporate involvement in Web3: help or hijack?

17:52 - NFTs beyond the hype: is there real utility?

20:50 - How value is perceived in the digital asset space

23:07 - The rise and fall of Steemit as a cautionary tale

28:08 - The ethical dilemma at the heart of centralisation vs decentralisation

30:29 - Can the decentralised space self-regulate?

33:18 - Government control and the decentralised response

37:50 - The real barriers to mass adoption

40:12 - A divided landscape — where decentralisation goes from here

42:55 - A vision for what true decentralisation could look like

Guest links – Joseph Kennedy

Website: http://www.alephium.org

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/bigpepghost

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephkennedyuk/