The Web2 problem: how the power to create went astray

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Never before in human history has a single technological innovation changed the way we communicate, collaborate and do business so much as with the Internet. The invention of the World Wide Web in 1989 by Tim Berners-Lee changed everything, connecting people and organizations around the world in ways that were once impossible.

The Web as we know it today is largely based on what has come to be known as the principles of "Web 2.0", a platform for collaboration and user-generated content that gave birth to to some of the most popular and influential sites on the Internet. , such as Facebook, Google and YouTube.

But while Web2 was a revolution in its own right, it is now clear that it was only the first step towards a truly connected global community. In this article, we'll explore the rise of Web2 and the factors that led to its discredit.

The early days of the Internet were dominated by a few large corporations, such as AOL and Yahoo!, which controlled the flow of information and charged for access to their platforms.

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That started to change in the late 1990s with the advent of Web2, which ushered in a new era of user-generated content and collaboration. Web2 sites such as Wikipedia and YouTube allowed anyone with an Internet connection to share their thoughts and ideas with the world.

This was a stark contrast to the previous model, where only a select few could control what information was shared with the masses. The rise of social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter has further democratized the internet, providing individuals with a powerful tool to share their views with the world.

The power of the individual

The rise of Web2 has marked a transfer of power from institutions to individuals. For the first time, everyday people had a platform to share their thoughts and ideas with the world. This had a profound impact on society, as it gave rise to new movements and campaigns that would not have been possible without the Internet.

The Arab Spring, for example, was a series of pro-democracy protests that swept the Middle East and North Africa from 2010 to 2013. These protests would not have been possible without the use of social media to organize and share information. between the demonstrators.

How Web2 Gone Wrong

Despite the positive impact it had on the world, Web2 also brought some serious problems - problems associated with this new ability to share information freely and without consequence. The main issues, of course, are:

Moral and political arbitration

While Web2 was a major breakthrough for the Internet, it is now clear that it has reached its limits. The centralized nature of today's platforms means they are subject to the whims of their owners, who can choose to censor or remove content they disagree with.

This was evident during the 2016 US presidential election when Facebook was accused of deliberately suppressing conservative reporting.

The Facebook-Cambridge Analytical data scandal exposed the problems with today's platforms, as it showed how user data can be mishandled and used to manipulate posts.