Web 2.0

The term Web 2.0 is associated with web applications that facilitate participatory information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design, and collaboration on the World Wide Web.

There are a lot of amazing applications and potential benefits to Web 2.0. However, I think at the moment the risk to privacy outweighs the benefits because so many people are unaware or don’t know how to minimize the risk to their private information. For example, most of the default settings on Facebook are designed to share your information with advertisers so they can market to your perceived needs. Unfortunately, anyone tech savvy could also pull your information and use it to compromise your identity.

Another issue I have with Web 2.0 is that anyone can post information. This can be a good thing; however, most information that is posted isn’t verified or accurate. I think about blogs and Wikipedia as examples of “too much of a good thing.” High school students have the tendency to ask if they can use Wikipedia as a source when doing research. This shows the vulnerability of allowing anyone to post anything they want because there are people who do not understand that what they are reading isn’t necessarily the truth. CNN.com is another transgressor I believe with their iReporters. These people aren’t real journalists. Yes, they have something to add to the topic or discussion, but I feel as if they are being relied on or misrepresented as actual journalists.

For Web 2.0 to reach its potential, users need to know the risks and potential pitfalls. Teenagers are showing they don’t have the cognitive ability to make informed decisions about the pictures they post or what they post on Facebook. They may think what they are doing is harmless, but can’t comprehend the self-inflicted damage that can be caused by posting or sending nude photos to boyfriends or girlfriends or posting that someone hopes their science teacher dies.

I’m actually all for Web 2.0. However, I think it is dangerous to release something like this on the world without some kind of basic training and knowledge of how it works. No, we can’t predict every contingency, but I do think we can predict things like “sexting” and inappropriate Facebook comments and help students (and other users) understand the dangers and consequences of their actions.