Ceramic Network: Building a Decentralized Network of Composable Data

Many of the successful and well-known Web 2.0 applications today can be characterized as having a data layer that is centralized and proprietary in nature. The impact of the commoditization of data by tech corporations has never been more pronounced, as having more user information has provided a valuable edge over the competition. The competitive advantage in data is then translated into increased profitability through areas such as targeted advertising and recommendations, as well as extended to provide early user traction for new web products within a company’s line of business.

However, the siloed data layer model adopted by many of the largest technology companies has come at the expense of users and product developers. On the users’ end, the pain point lies in the inability to maintain a common set of user data, preferences and social graphs built up over time through online activities. Since each web application, such as social media platforms, does not actively share user information with one another, it becomes inefficient for a user to rebuild their online identity when adopting new platforms online.