The development of internet and services that it offers has traditionally been a rather static affair. However, in the last one and half decades, there has been a huge shift in way in the way we use web and the way web uses us. One of the most visible trends on the internet is the emergence of Web 2.0 technology platform, (Breslin, Passant, & Decker, 2009, p. 11). The shift in paradigm is clear especially when one observes how the advent of Web 2.0 tools such as wikis, blogs, Web standards, podcasts and social networking sites such as Facebook and twitter, among others, has led to a rapid delivery as well as quick presentation and consumption of web content. This is evident in the tremendous rise in the amount of data that is fed through various devices such as computers, mobile phones and other technical devices. The exchanges through the web have recently evolved to a point whereby individuals communicate, corroborate and cooperate with each other like a real world. Data is being distributed and presented in real time streams rather than Web pages as before. This development is known as growth in ‘real-time web.’

The rapid growth in real-time web has been necessitated by the emergence of devices which apart from being consumers, they generate data in response to the data with which they is fed and send it back to the servers where it is further aggregated and analyzed, (Gosier, 2010). On top of that, these devices provide information about themselves and the users, such as location among other useful details. The development of real-time Web has led to a change in the web users from just consumers of the contents to active participants in creation of the contents. In general, over the last few years, there has been a shift from just publishing or ‘existing’ on Web to participate in a read and write Web, (Gosier, 2010).

It is clear that as we move into the future of Web, real time content is increasingly becoming a vital part of consumer’s experience. Thus, it is important to think of the implications or the capabilities of these new developments in the world of internet. In view of this, this paper discusses the emergence and development of Web 2.0 technologies and their implications on internet consumption. Further, it examines the capabilities of Web 2.0 tools in enhancing delivery and consumption of real time content, with specific focus on Facebook and Twitter. Finally, the paper discusses some of the merits and demerits of the internet evolution associated with development of these Web 2.0 tools.

Development of Web 2.0 technologies

The term ‘Web 2.0’ generally refers to the perceived second generation of Web-based communities and hosted services. Although this suggests a new version of web, it does not refer to an update of the World Wide Web technical specifications. Rather, it refers to the new structures and abstractions that have emerged on top of the ordinary web. Specifically, Web 2.0 is a business revolution in the computer industry which is being caused by the move to the internet as a platform and an attempt to understand the rules for success of that new platform.

Various definitions have been advanced in reference the term ‘Web 2.0.’ O’Reilly defined Web 2.0 as a set of principles and practices that ties together a veritable solar system of sites that demonstrate some or all of those principles at a varying distance from core, (Herrero, 2010, p. 249). Moein, Malekmohammadi and Youssefi, (2010, p. 459) on the other hand defines it as “a second generation of web development and design, which facilitates communication, secure information sharing, interoperability, and collaboration on the World Wide Web.” Remarkably, there lacks a clear-cut definition of the term Web 2.0 but there is a general agreement that web services and technologies such as wikis, blogs, Web standards, podcasts and social networking sites such as Facebook and twitter, among others are the key constituents of the Web 2.0.

Chen, (2010, p. 87) noted that before the emergence of Web 2.0 when only SixDegrees services existed in Web, there were only a few and less than enough users. Though people were already flocking into the internet, they largely did not have extended networks of friends who were ‘online.’ The emergence of the Web 2.0 technologies in around 2002 led to a sudden jump in the number of people using internet.A graph from world internet statistics shows that the number off internet users doubled between 2000 (when the SixDegrees shut down) and 2003 (when Web 2.0 technologies emerged and started to emerge, (Chen, (2010, p. 87). At the beginning of 2000, there were only around 250 million internet users and approximately 500 million mobile subscribers in the world. By mid 2010, the number had risen to more than 2 billion internet users and more than 5 billion mobile subscribers in the world. These trends are largely attributable to the rapid increase in development and use of web tools as well as the rise in speed of presentation and consumption of information or growth in real-time web.

Development of real time Web

The term ‘real time web’ refers to a new form of communication technology which allows ability to search and receive information in real time via the aforementioned Web 2.0 tools, (Gosier, 2010)traditionally, internet and the services that it offers were being delivered and presented in terms of pages. However, with emergence and development in Web 2.0 technologies, internet is evolving rapidly and this has changed to the concept of streams. Traditionally, Web users were only able and used to retrieve information as and when they required it. But as Gosier (2010) explains, the recent evolution of internet, especially the last three years has seen emergence of ecology of data streams that form an intensive information environment. This has been driven by the new devices that allow users to manage and rely on the streaming feeds. As a result, information is being presented and distributed in real time streams instead of web pages. Tapping on the real time web enable search engines to query information as it is received.

Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter provide up-to-date reviews and recommendations that are par of real time web. Through these sites, it is possible for instance to get current information about traffic while driving via the phone. Thus, real time workflow is about speed and staying as close as possible to the moments of occurrence. As a result of this, as Gosier (2010) points out, breaking new is no-longer breaking since it is reported in the media after everyone has reported it via such sites as Twitter and Facebook. Breaking news is breaking as it is taking place ‘right now.’ for instance, a volcanic explosion took place in Iceland and it was shooting contents up about 35000 feet up into the air and this led to major disruptions in travel through the air. But before the media had reported the incident, the information was already full in real time, in twitter and Facebook.

Logan & DDS (2011, p. 393) suggest that the recent developments in Web 2.0 platforms has led to passage of great responsibilities to the users providing them with an opportunity to address data synchronization issues in a novel, which gives them more control. Apart from becoming actively involved in it, the consumers are involved in development and integration of applications. This explains the fact that internet consumers have been showing an increasing appreciation and desire in real time stream, to participate in it, to follow it and to be in it. Technical devices have also been developed to manage a situation where the user wishes to opt out, (Gosier, 2010).

Apart from being an empirical object, the real time stream also serves as a technological imaginary. As such it provides information about the location of new computational devices, usage and experiences of the users. As a result, it encourages consumption of such devices as well as the media. Good examples of this are the many smartphones Global Positioning System (GPS) or GPS-like capabilities to determine the location of the phone, and by association, its owner. Further, participants of location-based social games such as Gowalla and Foursquare publish their locations as part of the game. They earn ‘mayoships’ and ‘badges’ which encourage them to engage further into the games, (Powell Groves & Dimos 2011, 263).

Facebook and twitter

Twitter is a social networking site and a microblogging service which allows an individual to answer the question on what is happening by sending short text messages which are often less than 140 characters in length, known as tweets, to followers or friends (Livingston, 2010, p. 5). Faceboook on the other hand is a social networking website in which the users can join networks organized by workplace, city, school and region to connect and interact with other people by sending messages posting comments and chatting (Livingston, 2010, p. 5). These Web 2.0 tools provide easy-to-use solutions for sharing information and consumers of that information can contribute to the same information through the use of actions such as writing comments, linking or tagging. Sometimes, they play a crucial role in managing user’s personal information by providing simple tools for restoring, retrieving, organizing and even creating data even when the consumers are away.Gosier (2010) notes that, users of these tools generate metadata, information and designs which enable a much richer environment where the value is generated by the great number of users. As a result, information is being distributed in form of sudden ‘crowds’ on the sites from different users in different locations. Information traffic occurs in bursts within seconds depending on what users are paying attention to. This leads to limited control of information flow in these sites. Someone might upload compromising information about another person or organization and in less than a minute, hundred of thousand of people are reading it.

Merits

The growth in real time web has immense a variety of benefits on individual users and organizations. Social networks such as Facebook and twitter provide individual user with creative outlet to share information with one another, which may not be attainable through other sources of media. For instance, in the disputed Iranian erections in 2009, Twitter played a vital role in enhancing communication among distant individuals and allowing them to give their expressions. It was well documented that the government of Iran closed all media outlets. But through the use of Twitter, people shared real-time images of protests that would have been otherwise unattainable.

According to Logan & DDS (2011, p. 393), currently, these social networking sites have more than 300 million users and more than 150 million unique hits every day each. As such, social exchanges through these sites can influence the products that a company develops, the services offered and the way an organization is organized to accomplish its mission and vision. The social networks affect interactions among the consumers, before and after they buy services or products of a given organization. Through the web 2.0 technology, it is possible for organizations to evaluate the response of the consumers to a given product or service and use the information to make necessary improvements, (Diem & Berson, 2010, p. 66). It is possible to get the data about how consumers are conversing, and the attitude to a brand through the sentiments and tonality of the messages that they post and the comments of others. Organizations then can use the information derived from such an assessment in determining whether their market campaigns are more effective at driving more positive conversations and reduce the level of negative comments. Thus, organizations are able to react quickly than having to wait for an eventual purchase or lack of purchase.

As well these networks affect interactions among the employees within and outside an organization. Facebook and twitter, for instance use the power of social networking to break down the barriers which may exist in geographically dispersed organizations by allowing employees from different geographically dispersed organizations to collaborate on a problem or a topic and this determines their attitude towards an organization, (Logan & DDS 2011, p. 393). Thus, the social exchanges affect a spectrum of business systems and could increase employee productivity through better information quality and collaboration. As well it may enhance external marketing through self –supporting customers and leads to products development.

In a learning environment, Web 2.0 tools such as Facebook and twitter can be used both inside and outside classroom to share information and gain insight on the topics of discussion. A good example is the application of twitter by Monica Rankin, a history professor at university of Texas, Dallas (Livingston, 2010, p. 4). She used it in class room to engage students in classroom discussions. She included into her academic plan in the spring 2010. She regularly posted comments in her twitter account using hashtags and referenced comments during the class session. She used presentation capabilities to inform students on the various topics to be discussed and incorporated the discussion into homework and the activities of the next session. Student could participate by either cell phone or computer. This allowed them to actively participate in any discussion, whether in the classroom or not. According to Livingston (2010, p. 4), the average performance of students in her subject rose by a margin of around 15 percent compared to previous performances. Thus, Monica Rankin’s experience demonstrated that Web 2.0 technologies are valuable tools of learning.

Demerits

There are several demerits of Web 2.0 technologies and real time evolution. According to Powell Groves and Dimos (2011, 263), the recent changes are leading to a world of real time stream where internet consumers will be bombarded with data from millions of sources from different places and all in real time. With minimal ability to comprehend and without complementally technology to manage the data, users would be drawn into information overload. Further, though real time implies speed in delivery and consumption of information, there are less filters and checks to ensure that the data consumed is correct, (Groves and Dimos, 2011, 263). For instance, it is possible for rumours about swine flu or any other incident to be spread in twitter or Facebook without a proper check to the fact. Some stories require further research and dedication which can only be provided by journalists and other professionals.

Another setback of growth in real time web pertains to the risks associated with sharing of information via the Web 2.0 tools. The social networking sites such as Facebook and twitter invite visitors to share information, thoughts and ideas about themselves and on other issues of interest. However, these benefits are accompanied by new risks that have no obvious solutions. As Herrero (2010, p. 139) notes, the majority of the users are not aware of the implications of disclosing personal or company information. In a study conducted by IT Governance Ltd in 2008 27 percent of the participants indicated that they were comfortable in disclosing their dates of birth on social networking sites. 11 percent of them indicated that they would not feel it odd to provide details related to the religious beliefs, sexual orientations and personal photos, (IT Governance Research Team 2009, p. 32). Among companies, development of new Web solutions has led to leads to attractive business possibilities. In the same vein, a company’s sensitive information can be placed on the internet for people to see, especially due development off wiki leaks. One of the reasons for this is that most users of social networking sites as Herrero, A., (2010, p. 139) notes tend not to distinguish between personal and corporate information and post derogatory allegations and remarks regarding an organization.

The web tools such as Facebook and twitter can collect and store huge amounts of personal or corporate information in user’s profiles or on other social networking tools. The problem is that once data is posted on the internet, it is extremely difficult to ensure that the information is completely deleted. In fact it is not possible to delete some accounts such as those in Facebook and one can only deactivate. This information remains accessible by other people and it is difficult to ensure that it is not replicated or misused without permission, (Fraser & Dutta, 2008). One of the likely impacts of this is increased risk of loss of individuals’ or corporate reputation. Corporate institutions are more vulnerable than individuals. As customers, vendors, employees and other parties exchange information on the web regarding an organization, it is possible for an organizational reputation to be damaged within only seconds. This is worsened by the fact that organizational have limited control over the information submitted in these sites, (Tuck School of Business, 2007, p. 6).

Apart from that, the development of Web 2.0 technologies and real time evolution is that it creates a base for intellectual property theft, (Herrero, 2010, p. 139). This may be caused by user’s irresponsibility leading to publication of information that has copyright protection. For instance, an employee may publish an ongoing project in a company on Facebook or twitter either due to carelessness or with an aim of harming the company. On the other hand, as mentioned earlier, there is lack of control over the information that is published or that is subject of discussion on the social networking sites. This leads to transfer of the right to use on the platform. Apart from intellectual property theft, these internet developments encourage corporate secrets theft. The user’s public information can disclose much about the organizations in which they work. This makes it possible for an attacker to create a whole personality apparently working in an organization and use the chance to gain access to private information within an organization, (Herrero, A., (2010, p. 139).

Though there is value derived by consumers who use phones or play games that reveal their location and other details, there is one major setback associated with that. Consumers would want to get the benefits derived from the location-based marketing model such as promotions, discounts and price special tied to geo-fence capabilities, but security issues would have them wish that their information be guarded from public view. Constant use of such applications provides information about location where the user frequents, (Powell, Groves, & Dimos, 2011, p. 263). This compromises individual’s physical security.

Conclusion

Generally, in the past 15 years, internet has developed from a one way to a two way path of information which has also seen an exponential increase in the number of users. This is largely attributable to the fact that unlike the traditional internet services, Web 2.0 technologies encourage more and more people to participate and hence, they derive the greatest value from them especially when large number of people contributes to the content. Traditionally, information from the internet was being delivered and presented in terms of pages. However, the emergence and development in Web 2.0 technologies has changed to the concept of streams. Information is now being presented and consumed rapidly or in real time. The growth in real time web is evident in the recent developments and capabilities of web tools such as Facebook and twitter. This has several advantages on individuals and organizations as disclosed in the above discussion. This includes providing individuals with a creative outlet to share information, which may not be attainable through the media. The internet evolution enables corporate organizations customers and employees and to enhance performance. It also acts as a valuable source of learning. Among the demerits of the aforementioned internet changes include loss of reputation, overload of users with information, intellectual property theft, loss of corporate secrets, distribution of incorrect information and loss of security, among others. Generally, the shift internet is palpable and individuals and companies have no better options than to embrace and cope with the changes.

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