As the World Wide Web marks its 31st anniversary, a survey reveals grave issues plaguing the internet that may hamper its transition towards Web 3.0 and the metaverse. In a report titled 'Web O. No' by Forrit, a worldwide content management system provider, a staggering majority (89%) of senior marketers and tech leaders expressed optimism towards the transformative potential of Web 3.0 and the metaverse. Alarmingly though, 87% believed that the current chaotic state of the internet threatens to stunt these anticipated innovations.
In their interactions with over 500 UK business decision-makers, Forrit discerned a unanimous sentiment: "the Internet today is a mess." Respondents cited multiple layers of legacy CMS systems, website security flaws, ungoverned websites, and vulnerabilities in open-source web management systems as the key problems. Despite the survey covering primarily regulated industries such as financial services, utilities, and the legal sector, more than half of the respondents (57%) admitted to having website security flaws. This escalates to 79% among those utilising open-source solutions, with open source plug-ins identified as a significant risk for potential malicious compromises.
The risks go beyond cyber-attacks, as the report highlights chances of outages, dysfunctional interfaces, and dangerous content hidden within overlooked pages of reputable websites. An eyebrow-raising 44% admitted they can't control the content on their websites due to multiple website management systems, a common practice among the participants. Forrit dubs this impending disorderly online future as "Web O.No".
Forrit's CEO, Peter Proud, opines on how composable CMS platforms can mitigate this: "We're heading towards Web O.No - a grim reality of an internet unfit for purpose unless we act now. It's time to stop layering on outdated, vulnerable web management systems. Embracing a next-generation composable web management platform would introduce a new era of security, flexibility, and scalability for the internet." Respondents concurred and backed this solution, with 89% asserting that composable architecture would allow their organisations to equip their digital infrastructure for the future.
As many as 72% of respondents felt that their existing web management systems were hampering their capability to adopt AI into their websites. Gary Roberts, CRO, Forrit, underlines this: "Your website management platform should be an enabler of digital innovation, not a barrier. Embracing composable web architecture removes the current barriers, providing a clear pathway to the future."
As businesses grapple with the chaotic landscape of the current internet, the transition to a composable web architecture could provide a potential solution. Navigating the digital future needs foresight and readiness to adapt to newer technologies, and making a timely switch could prove key in steering clear of the dreaded "Web O.No".