Web 2.0, which emerged in the early 2000s, marks a significant change compared to Web 1.0. Unlike Web 1.0 websites where users primarily consumed content passively, Web 2.0 websites allow users to interact and collaborate with each other. It is often known as the „participatory“ or „social“ web. The term was coined by Darcy DiNucci in 1999 and later popularized by Tim O’Reilly and Dale Dougherty at the first Web 2.0 conference in 2004. Examples of Web 2.0 features include social networking sites or social media (e.g., Facebook), blogs, wikis, video sharing sites (e.g., YouTube), image sharing sites (e.g., Flickr), hosted services, web applications („apps“), collaborative consumption platforms, and mashup applications. A key element of Web 2.0 is the concept of user-generated content. This term refers to content created and shared by users themselves, as opposed to content created by professional developers or companies. Examples of user-generated content include blog posts, comments, reviews, photos, videos, and more.
Facebook, founded in 2004, offered users the opportunity to create profiles, share photos and status updates, and interact with other users. Twitter, launched in 2006, enabled users to post short messages or „tweets“ and follow other users. YouTube, also founded in 2005, enabled users to upload, share, and comment on videos. In addition to the proliferation of social media, Web 2.0 also saw an increase in interactive and dynamic websites. With the introduction of technologies like AJAX, websites could display dynamic content and respond to user input without having to reload the page. This led to a richer and more responsive user experience.
Research from 2015 shows that the world spent 22% of its online time on social networks, pointing to the popularity of social media platforms, which was likely promoted by the widespread adoption of smartphones. By January 2023, there were up to 4.76 billion social media users worldwide, representing 59.4% of the total world population.
Web 2.0 is a double-edged sword. It provides access to a world of information, but also dependency, which can become critical in case of technical failures. Security is often fragile, with hackers targeting free services. The concept of the paperless office carries risks, especially in case of data loss due to hardware failures. Moreover, the easy spread and protection of copyrighted material pose a challenge. Online comments, which should promote the exchange of ideas, often have the opposite effect, as rudeness and anonymity lead to a toxic atmosphere. At the same time, echo chambers amplify differences of opinion and limit exposure to other perspectives. Despite the challenges, these platforms still offer valuable opportunities for public participation.
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