Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin said on January 10 that Bitcoin maximalists were largely correct about digital sovereignty, arguing that today’s internet has drifted toward corporate-controlled systems that quietly weaken user power.
His remarks frame sovereignty as more than resistance to governments, casting it instead as a fight to protect privacy, attention, and autonomy from profit-driven online platforms.
From the Open Web to the Sovereign Web
Buterin’s comments came in response to a January 1 post by X user Tom Kruise, who predicted that the internet would split into three parts: an “open web,” a heavily controlled “fortress web,” and a smaller, encrypted “sovereign web” built on trust.
Buterin said he agreed with roughly 60% of that outlook, highlighting what he called a long-overlooked divide between user-controlled systems and what he labeled “corposlop.”
He described corposlop as a mix of corporate power, polished branding, and behavior that quietly works against users. Examples included attention-grabbing social feeds, large-scale data harvesting, closed platforms that block links to rivals, and repetitive, risk-averse media output. According to him, while these systems appear helpful on the surface, they are slowly stripping users of choice.
The Ethereum developer said early Bitcoin supporters sensed this risk years ago. Their resistance to ICOs, alternative tokens, and complex applications was rooted in keeping Bitcoin independent rather than wrapped in corporate incentives. However, he argued that where they went wrong was relying on heavy limits or state pressure instead of tools that expand user freedom.
The stance fits with Buterin’s recent criticism of major platforms, including a warning in December last year that X had turned into a magnet for hostility and algorithm-driven outrage. A month before that, he raised alarms about the social platform’s country-label feature, saying even small location leaks could harm vulnerable users.
What Building the Sovereign Web Could Look Like
Looking ahead, Buterin outlined what he believes a user-first internet should prioritize. That includes local-first apps that limit data sharing, social platforms that give people direct control over what they see, and financial tools that avoid pushing extreme risk-taking. He also backed open, privacy-focused AI systems that support human work instead of replacing it.
Zac Williamson, founder of privacy-focused blockchain Aztec, echoed those views in earlier posts, arguing that the attention economy has weakened shared understanding and turned users into products. While Williamson warned that changing incentives will involve conflict and trade-offs, he agreed that cryptography and decentralized systems offer a path forward.
Some community voices remain cautious. Mark Paul wrote that crypto began as an alternative to corporate-heavy tech but has often mirrored it, though he suggested the sector may still outgrow that phase.
For Buterin, the challenge now is cultural as much as technical, with a view to building tools that respect privacy, resist manipulation, and give people room to think and act on their own terms. His closing message was simple: reject systems that drain agency, and commit to software that puts users back in control
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