Web 2.0

The term Web 2.0 (or Web 2) describes the second generation of the World Wide Web, focusing on the ability for people to interact, collaborate and share information online. It identifies the transition from static HTML web pages to an advanced Internet technology and including interactive applications (i.e.: blogs, wikis, RSS and social bookmarking).

Different studies about the Web 2.0 application for policy decision-making have been carried out. Petrik (2009) investigates how to utilize ICT and Web 2.0 technologies and e-democracy software for policy decision-making. It introduces a cutting edge decision-making system that integrates the practice of e-petitions, e-consultation, e-rulemaking, e-voting, and proxy voting. The work of Di Maio (2011) focuses on the e-government policy-making. The author points out that despite in the recent time the objective of increasing transparency and citizen participation in policy-making has been high on the agenda of most countries, states and cities, in most cases, the use of technology much more upstream in the policy-making process, is still missing. Di Maio argues that “the advent of Web 2.0 has increased the appetite for even greater and more effective engagement, also in view of the shifting attitude in Internet use, with more people creating content through blogs, wikis and social networks of all sorts. […] Open government initiatives have provided the platform for more systematic engagement, by promoting the provision of more information, by pushing departments and agencies toward innovative ways to involve citizens in discussions about city planning, budget formulation, trash management, environmental monitoring and so forth” (Di Maio, 2011).

Related term: Web 3.0, Social Media

References:

Petrik, Klaus (2009), Participation and e-democracy how to utilize web 2.0 for policy decision-making, presented during the 10th Annual International Conference on Digital Government Research: Social Networks: Making Connections between Citizens, Data and Government (Puebla, Mexico)

Di Maio, Andrea (2011), Where technology should be used to improve policy-making, and is not

O'Reilly, Tim (2007), What Is Web 2.0: Design Patterns and Business Models for the Next Generation of Software. Communications & Strategies, 65(Q1), 17-37