Web X.0
Enabling secure, intelligent, and inclusive digital futures
Institution of Engineering and Technology (Publisher)
Will be published approx. on 1. November 2026
Book
Hardback
300 pages
978-1-83724-534-5 (ISBN)
Description
The internet is not simply changing, it is converging. Artificial intelligence, blockchain, the metaverse, quantum computing, and brain-computer interfaces are fusing into an integrated, intelligent, and autonomous digital ecosystem. Web X.0 will anticipate our needs, blur the boundary between physical and virtual, and reshape how people, organizations, and governments engage with one another. But every leap forward cast new shadows: more sophisticated cyberattacks, eroding privacy, ungoverned autonomous systems, and a digital divide that risks leaving billions further behind.
This book charts the full transformation of the web, from the static pages of Web 1.0 to the social platforms of Web 2.0, the decentralized protocols of Web 3.0, and onward to the intelligent, immersive world of Web X.0. It examines the technologies driving this shift, the security and governance challenges they create, and the social, ethical, and regulatory frameworks needed to manage them. Crucially, it treats these not as separate conversations but as one: Web X.0 is the sum of its parts and understanding it requires exactly the interdisciplinary lens this volume provides.
A distinctive feature is the book's grounding in the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The authors demonstrate, through real-world case studies and scenario-based analysis, how Web X.0 technologies can drive financial inclusion, transform healthcare, democratize education, and accelerate climate action. Technology, they argue, is not neutral. Deployed with intention, it can be a deliberate force for a fairer and more sustainable world.
Written for researchers, industry professionals, and policymakers alike, this is both a technically rigorous reference and a serious invitation to think about the digital future we are collectively building.
This book charts the full transformation of the web, from the static pages of Web 1.0 to the social platforms of Web 2.0, the decentralized protocols of Web 3.0, and onward to the intelligent, immersive world of Web X.0. It examines the technologies driving this shift, the security and governance challenges they create, and the social, ethical, and regulatory frameworks needed to manage them. Crucially, it treats these not as separate conversations but as one: Web X.0 is the sum of its parts and understanding it requires exactly the interdisciplinary lens this volume provides.
A distinctive feature is the book's grounding in the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The authors demonstrate, through real-world case studies and scenario-based analysis, how Web X.0 technologies can drive financial inclusion, transform healthcare, democratize education, and accelerate climate action. Technology, they argue, is not neutral. Deployed with intention, it can be a deliberate force for a fairer and more sustainable world.
Written for researchers, industry professionals, and policymakers alike, this is both a technically rigorous reference and a serious invitation to think about the digital future we are collectively building.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Stevenage
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-83724-534-5 (9781837245345)
Copyright in bibliographic data is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or its licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Muhammad Tariq is a professor, head of the School of Engineering, and director of the STAIR Lab at FAST NUCES, Islamabad, Pakistan. He serves as NATO SPS Partner Country director and is consistently listed among Stanford University's Top 2% Scientists worldwide. He has published 80+ papers in high-impact journals, led national and international R&D projects, and is a senior member of the IEEE. He holds a PhD from Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan, as an MEXT scholar and a postdoc from Princeton University, NJ, USA, as a Fulbright scholar.
Houbing Herbert Song is a professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, USA, where he directs the Security and Optimization for Networked Globe (SONG) Laboratory. He serves as co-editor-in-chief of IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics and is the founding chair of the ACM Emerging Interest Group on Trustworthy and Responsible Systems (EIGTRUST). He is an IEEE fellow and an ACM distinguished member. He has been recognized as a highly cited researcher by Web of Science.
Houbing Herbert Song is a professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, USA, where he directs the Security and Optimization for Networked Globe (SONG) Laboratory. He serves as co-editor-in-chief of IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics and is the founding chair of the ACM Emerging Interest Group on Trustworthy and Responsible Systems (EIGTRUST). He is an IEEE fellow and an ACM distinguished member. He has been recognized as a highly cited researcher by Web of Science.
Editor
ProfessorFAST National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences (NUCES), Islamabad, Pakistan
ProfessorUniversity of Maryland, Security and Optimization for Networked Globe Laboratory, Baltimore County, USA
Content
Chapter 1: The Evolution of the Web: From Web 1.0 to Web X.0
Chapter 2: The Foundations of Web 3.0: Decentralization, Blockchain, and Smart Contracts
Chapter 3: WebX.0 and Intelligent Automation Beyond Web 3.0
Chapter 4: Emotional and Human-Centric Computing in Web X.0
Chapter 5: Metaverse, Virtual Reality (VR), and Augmented Reality (AR) in Web X.0
Chapter 6: Cybersecurity, Privacy, and the Hyper-Connected Future of Web X.0
Chapter 7: Real-World Use Cases and Case Studies in Web X.0
Chapter 8: The Role of Web X.0 Technologies in Achieving UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Chapter 9: Ethical, Social, and Legal Challenges in Web X.0
Chapter 10: The Future of Work, Business, and Innovation in Web X.0
Chapter 2: The Foundations of Web 3.0: Decentralization, Blockchain, and Smart Contracts
Chapter 3: WebX.0 and Intelligent Automation Beyond Web 3.0
Chapter 4: Emotional and Human-Centric Computing in Web X.0
Chapter 5: Metaverse, Virtual Reality (VR), and Augmented Reality (AR) in Web X.0
Chapter 6: Cybersecurity, Privacy, and the Hyper-Connected Future of Web X.0
Chapter 7: Real-World Use Cases and Case Studies in Web X.0
Chapter 8: The Role of Web X.0 Technologies in Achieving UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Chapter 9: Ethical, Social, and Legal Challenges in Web X.0
Chapter 10: The Future of Work, Business, and Innovation in Web X.0