Don't Take Your Web for Granted

     As a 20-year-old living in the 21st century, I can hardly remember a time when the internet was read-only 1.0 Web. Not being able to share information with billions of people across the globe is a concept I cannot completely grasp. So it's difficult to believe that the 2.0 read-write Web I know today has developed within my lifetime, and not long ago there was a different kind of Web altogether.
     In the week three lessons I learned that, indeed, there once was a read-only web and it wasn't as ancient as I had thought. In fact, I was in the fourth grade when Web 2.0 started to gain popularity and usage. Since as early as the fifth grade I remember having a My Space page; most of the information I used for my eighth grade science fair project came from Wikipedia; and once I hit high school I was all about Facebook. I realize now all that I had taken for granted. I am a spoiled child of the Web 2.0 era.
     On the other hand, I also learned a lot about the read-write websites that I have been missing out on. For instance, I absolutely love this site I found called Smile.ly. Not only can you try new brands for free and get coupons (as college students we all love free stuff), but you can leave feedback on brands which can help other consumers like you.
    In the future, as a Public Relations director of a Fortune 500 company (I dare to dream big) I will use Web 2.0 to create interactive websites to include blogs and surveys so consumers can provide feedback and ask questions. Web 2.0 is a PR major's dream because it makes research so easy and accessible. 

     This video brought up a couple of good points about Web 2.0 that I hadn't thought about. First, Web 2.0 essentially allows average people to be authors. People can express their creativity whether through written work, pictures or videos without being formally published. The average Joe can do it himself.  Also, the internet truly is forever which is an aspect of the Web that new users such as young children need to be constantly reminded of. Once you put something on the Web, you can't take it back, and stressing the importance of safety and discretion when putting yourself out there is imperative.