The document discusses the definition, characteristics, categories, and history of Web 2.0 and social networking sites. It defines Web 2.0 as communities that facilitate user creativity, collaboration, and sharing. Major characteristics include users owning data and rich interfaces. Categories include social, social/business, business, and affinity networks. Major social networking sites launched between 1997-2005 include SixDegrees, Friendster, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, and Flickr. The document also provides statistics on social networking in India.

1. WEB 2.0 A report on the next generation web based communities

2. Index Definition & Characteristics Pros and cons Categories History International major players Indian Market

3. Definition Web 2.0 can refer to a perceived second generation of web-based communities and hosted services such as social-networking sites, wikis which aim to facilitate creativity, collaboration, and sharing between users

4. Characteristics Web 2.0 websites allow users to do more than just retrieve information Users can own the data on a Web 2.0 site and exercise control over that data Web 2.0 sites often feature a rich, user-friendly interface based on Ajax, Flex or similar rich media

5. The Catch Allows users to voice their opinions Find new friends, meet old friends Form communities with people of common interests Users can remain a faceless identity

6. The Miss Anyone can access personal information Users can post offensive pictures, news about any figure which will be in the public domain No check- Increased use of abusive material such as hate groups

7. Category Broadly differentiated into four categories a) Social Sites- like Myspace, Orkut Users to catch up with their online friends, music, videos and views b) Social+ Business- like Facebook Started for Harvard students to stay in touch, Now is used by professionals to stay in touch with their colleagues and friends

8. Category c) Business: LinkedIn Provides way to professionals and job-seekers to stay connected d) Affinity Networks: Target users with specific interests like fashion-networks.com

9. History of Launch of Major SNS (Social Networking Sites)

10. History The first recognizable social network site launched in 1997 was SixDegrees.com From 1997 to 2001, a number of community tools began supporting various combinations of profiles and publicly articulated friends The next wave of SNSs began when Ryze.com was launched in 2001 to help people leverage their business networks

11. History Ryze's founder reports that he first introduced the site to his friends—primarily members of the San Francisco business and technology community MySpace was begun in 2003 to compete with sites like Friendster, Xanga, and AsianAvenue Orkut was launched in January 2004 by Google, the brainchild of Orkut Büykökten,who developed it as an independent project while working at Google

12. History Facebook was launched on February 4, 2004 and was founded by Mark Zuckerberg, a former Harvard student YouTube was created in mid-February 2005 by three former PayPal employees Flickr, photo sharing website was developed by Ludicorp,Canada-based Company founded in 2002

14. International Major Players Myspace- 106 million users Orkut- 67 million users Face book- 40 million users Tribe.net LinkedIn

15. Facts of Indian market According to data from the Internet and Mobile Association of India- India’s Internet user base at 40 million at the moment Indian players-Fropper.com, Sulekha.com, Bigadda.com, DesiMartini.com, Rediff Connexions

16. Top social networking sites visited from India- (By Alexa.com) Orkut Facebook Bharatstudent Hi5.com Flickr.com Myspace.com Tagged.com

17. Once everyone is allowed in, some people want to leave. Or, worse still, no longer wish to join Groucho's Law