Task 1b: Web 2.0

After reading the Reader 1 I was infected. I spend two days only reading and researching at the internet about the second internet generation. The subject is very interesting, especially for us because we using some with BAPP like our Blog, facebook and Flickr. Suddenly I had so many questions about Web 2.0. But until now I am not satisfied about my research.

I could not find any information about  the basic question:

Why are social networks so popular? Maybe this is a good subject for everybody here and if you want post a comment about this question.

But fact is that the nature of our work, our social interaction has equally changed by the role of web 2.0 and social networking. It has not passed so much time since the internet was different without social media. The usual communication was one-to-one by email. Now, it is possible to communicate with all friends at the same time, when and were we are. This is possible because of social networks and new techniques. 

One of the most successful social platforms was founded 2004 for students and has actually (october 2011)  800 million* active users. Everybody is knowing this social platform, without naming it. I think only this proofs the popularity of social networks. 

Meanwhile everybody has to participate. If you are not in an social network, you will harvest an unbelieving gaze. The space for excuses decrease. The barriers to access like time, skills and financial commitments as in Reader 1 mentioned are easier to penetrable. New technologies and tools making this possible. We can participate via phone or ipad. Anywhere and anytime. Today, it is cheap, easy and quick to collaborate and interact.

But what are the disadvantages? The "glass human being"? I have read in one german Magazine that social network user are publishing carelessly personal data on the internet. Nobody would leave the house keys on the door with the note "I am on holiday", but on internet we do.

Some other theory which is mentioned in Reader 1 is the "collective intelligence" of web 2.0. Yes, off course the participation of many people could enable a positive development. For example, internet systems can be improved. But, it has a reason why it is not allowed to quote Wikipedia in scientific works. 

In my opinion, it is getting more and more difficult to filter correct and incorrect informations from the internet. Sometimes it is really hard to find a correct answer with google. I have to read many statements in internet forums, clicking from link to another link and do not find a clear and correct answer. I think the problem is, that everybody can give informations or answers to different topics, but lack on experts to recheck the given informations.