Web 2.0 (2006)

At the end of 2005, Time Magazine chose “You” as the person of the year 2006. With its choice, the magazine not only wanted to honour the active internet user but also the current generation of web applications, the social software platforms that enable anybody who wants to create, publish, link, and share content to do so in an accessible manner. These applications, called Web 2.0, first of all represent a new way of thinking from the point of vue of the end user. At the same time, they have brought about an important cultural shift. Web 2.0 stands for an evolution towards a radically user-oriented, decentralized, and collective means of communication. It creates an environment in which participants do not only listen but can also make themselves heard.

In its 11th dossier ‘Web 2.0, the new social space?’, viWTA gives extensive background information about the new generation of web applications, where the end user can be both consumer and producer of digital content. The dossier describes the characteristics of Web 2.0 applications: Web 2.0 as an open database, as a creative studio, and as a collective platform. It also deals with some of the social aspects, such as the disruptive character of Web 2.0 and the business models behind Web 2.0. Finally, the dossier also discusses certain expectations for the future: Web 2.0 beyond the desktop and the internet of things.