Today marks the launch of my personal website, a space where I can freely share my projects and experiences. In an era dominated by social media platforms and centralized services, having a space that I fully own and control was important to me. To me, this is a step toward digital independence.
The problem of the centralized web
Much of our online presence today is tied to large platforms like Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), or LinkedIn. While these platforms offer convenience and a built-in audience, they also create a sense of being locked in. You have no control over what you see or how your content is displayed. The algorithms dictate the platform, and you must comply with whatever they decide.
Furthermore, we are tied to the policies that these platforms enforce. Using their services often means allowing them to analyze our behavior, collect our data, sell it, show us ads, and more. Everything you post is subject to their vision of the web, which is often profit-driven and doesn’t align with my vision of community and content sharing.
In a world where the power of documentation, speech, information, education, art, culture, and community is more important than ever, it no longer feels right to share what is important to me in a place where I have no say. My content could be shown alongside whatever they want, and could even be hidden and suppressed based on arbitrary rules and authoritarian laws.
The role of a personal website
I’m not saying that I’ll abandon social media and other platforms altogether. They still have value in terms of reach and community engagement. However, having my own website means that I can curate my content without external interference. I can choose what to share, how to share it, how to display it, and who gets to see it. I can also choose what to promote and what not to promote with my content.
This website will be an independent space that I can maintain and control, regardless of what happens in the world and on the internet. It will be a space that truly reflects who I am and what I care about: my identity and passions. I’m not alone in valuing such independence and control over my digital presence, as this is a broader trend known as the Indie Web.
The Indie Web movement
It is a movement that encourages individuals to own their online presence and content. It encourages people to create their own websites, use open standards and open-source software, and connect with others in a decentralized manner. The goal is to empower individuals, increase resilience, and reduce reliance on the “corporate web.”
If you also feel that content ownership will become increasingly important in the future, I encourage you to look into it. Large conglomerates, billionaires, and some governments are trying to control the flow of information and how we interact online. Meanwhile, algorithms continue to inundate us with shallow or superficial content. Having a fully owned website is a way to resist, maintain a voice, prepare our communities, and promote our vision for the future of the web.
More info about the Indie Web is available here : https://indieweb.org/
Anyway, welcome to my website ! My name is Gaspard and I hope you’ll find something interesting here ! ☝️🤓