Decentralization and the Future of the Open Web

Recorded at the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University in Halifax, this “Decentralization and the Future of the Open Web” presentation features a panel of experts on platform power, network architecture and digital rights: Argyri Panezi, University of New Brunswick, Evan Prodromou, Social Web Foundation, and Michael Karanicolas, Dalhousie University, and is moderated by Anthony Rosborough, Dalhousie University. The presentation examines how technical, legal and commercial forms of centralization shape the modern internet, focusing on competition and antitrust law, intellectual property and platform liability rules, and emerging regulatory initiatives such as interoperability and tech sovereignty frameworks, while exploring alternatives like federated social networks and open technical standards that can expand user autonomy, privacy, security and meaningful consumer choice; it also offers practical insights for lawyers, policymakers and technologists on advising clients about platform governance, AI and data access, and encourages viewers to rethink business models, regulatory tools and advocacy strategies that support a more open, diverse and resilient web.