Web 2.0 is a term used to describe a second generation of the World Wide Web that emphasizes user-generated content, usability, and interoperability. It allows users to interact and collaborate online as "prosumers" who both consume and create content. Examples of Web 2.0 include social media sites, blogs, wikis, video sharing sites, and web applications. Web 2.0 has given the public more access to media production tools and the ability to freely express themselves and share content online, competing with professional media. It has also increased user creativity and choice in how people access and engage with media.

1. Web 2.0
What is it?
What impact has it had?
Examples of Web 2.0 applications?

2. Defining Web 2.0
Web 2.0 is the term given to
describe a second generation of
the World Wide Web that is focused
on the ability for people to
collaborate and share information
online.

3. Defining Web 2.0
‘Web 2.0 describes World Wide Web sites that emphasize user-
generated content, usability, and interoperability.’
‘Web 2.0 technologies facilitate participatory information sharing,
interoperability, user-centered design and collaboration on the
World Wide Web.’
A Web 2.0 site allows users to interact and collaborate with each
other in a social media dialogue as creators (prosumers) of user-
generated content in a virtual community, in contrast to websites
where users (consumers) are limited to the passive viewing of
content that was created for them.
Examples of Web 2.0 include social networking sites, blogs, wikis, video sharing sites,
hosted services, web applications, mash-ups and folksonomies.
Wikipedia is quite useful here for a fuller understanding:

4. David Gauntlett
David Gauntlett - Media and everyday life video
Xtra normal on David Gauntlett made by Reigate College
students
Working with the people next to you, list 3 main points you can
take from Gauntlett’s video.

5. What does Gauntlett suggest about the
impact of Web 2.0?
Consider: Access, Ownership, Power, Creativity
In previous years the media needed large
equipment, as it could only be produced by
media institutions (e.g. broadcasting
companies). However, now everyone has
access and to production and is free to
express their views. Youtube is a good
example.
Sir Tim Berners Lee thought that with the
web, people would communicate together
and share their own content online. it wasnt
until Web 2.0 where the consumers started
working together to create and share their
own content.
That consumers can now be prosumers -
Anyone with internet access can both
contribute and consume.
In the past media institutions dictated media
schedules, audiences waited for specific
times to watch TV or listen to the radio,
although it hasn't disappeared new media
platforms have been developed and
audiences have more choice and freedom in
how and when they access media.
Creativity - Web 2.0 allows the public to be
more creative with the content that they watch
(wider diversity of content online) and upload
to the web. Resurgence in the pleasure in
making things - 'making is connecting'
It has given the public a chance to create
and distribute media as effectiveley as
media companies - user generated content
can compete with professional media
content.

6. Activities
1. Go to YouTube’s homepage, what kind of
videos are featured? What does this suggest
about how things have changed since David
Gauntlett published his video in 2008?
2. Go to https://web.archive.org/ and look up
some websites (perhaps YouTube) and see
what they were like in the past.

7. Michael Wesch
Wesch video - Web 2.0 ... The Machine is Us/ing
Us
Discuss with the people next to you, what
stands out from this video.
Summarise one key point.