Бутерин предлагает инновационный подход для борьбы с технологическими монополиями через «враждебную интероперабельность» Translation: Buterin Proposes an Innovative Approach to Combat Technological Monopolies through Hostile Interoperability

Protecting society from the concentration of power is the primary factor for ensuring safe technological advancement, asserts Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin.

In the article «Balance of Power,» the author identifies three power centers: the government, corporations, and an uncontrolled civil society. According to the programmer, humanity values the progress facilitated by these institutions but is wary of their excessive empowerment.

The monopolization of power poses a threat to personal freedoms and leads to social instability and a soulless homogenization of culture.

Historically, this balance was maintained by two natural mechanisms:

*»If we envision the leader as a cheetah and the followers as turtles, the first force acts as an internal brake for the cheetah, while the second acts as an invisible spring, pushing the turtles forward,»* Buterin explained.

However, in the 21st century, both mechanisms have weakened due to globalization, automation, and the emergence of proprietary systems.

*»The outcome is that limits on growth are increasing, while the diffusion of control is decreasing. Yes, the exchange of ideas on the internet has accelerated, but the real capability to influence key systems has become more centralized than ever,»* the programmer emphasized.

As a solution, Buterin proposed the concept of «forced diffusion» — the intentional distribution of control over technologies. The toolkit includes the implementation of unified standards (similar to USB-C in the European Union), the abolishment of non-compete agreements, and the use of copyleft licenses.

A key element of this strategy should be «hostile interoperability.» This approach enables the creation of products that operate on top of popular platforms by circumventing their restrictions. This way, developers can regain control over the interface and return power to users.

Examples of implementation:

*»In the Web2 model, platforms capture value primarily through monopolizing the interface and user experience. Creating compatible yet alternative interfaces undermines this monopoly,»* Buterin clarified.

In his view, decentralization is not an abstract concept but a fundamental principle that should be embedded into the platform’s architecture from the outset. The programmer stressed that developers should consider not only funding but also governance structure:

*»Any serious project should develop not only a business model for financing but also a decentralization model — mechanisms that prevent power from concentrating within a project and creating associated risks.»*

He cited the Lido pool as an example of conscious decentralization. Despite controlling 24% of staked ETH, it does not pose threats to the network due to distributed governance through a DAO and numerous independent operators.

Buterin also highlighted the concept of d/acc — the development of open protective technologies. In his opinion, this approach allows for ensuring system security while avoiding total centralization.

It is worth noting that in October, Geth client developer Peter Szilagyi pointed out the concentration of power around Buterin, stating that the rules of the entire ecosystem depend on the programmer’s opinion.

At the same time, Polygon head Sandeep Nailwal mentioned the crisis of loyalty towards the leadership of the second-largest cryptocurrency network.