Web1 is the read-only internet, Web2 is read-write, and Web3 is read-write-own.
Web 1.0 was the first iteration of the web, which lasted from 1989 to 2005. It is a “read-only” web, and users consume content. Most websites had static content, and the only interaction was to read and obtain information. Websites didn’t have much interactivity.
Web 2.0 started to rise with the appearance of social networks. The most significant change from the first paradigm is that, in the Web 2.0 world, you don’t have to be a developer to participate in the creation process. Tools and platforms quickly started to appear to allow anyone to create their content via blogs, websites, videos, social media pages, shares, likes, gifs, memes, and so on. However, the platforms used (like Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, et al.) were the ones that owned the content and monetized it.
Web 3.0 refers more and more to a truly open and decentralized Internet made possible by emerging networks such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, NEAR Protocol, and others. The key innovation of these networks is the creation of protocols and applications that no single entity controls, yet everyone can still trust. This opens up many possibilities to bring power back to the users and back to the Internet's core values: an Internet for everyone, owned by everyone.
Ultimately, Web 3.0 is about creating a more user-centric web where we retain complete ownership of our data, identity, and digital assets.