Skip to content

Strange Systems

Exploring the overlap of virtual and physical

Menu
  • About this site
Menu

The Other Web2.0: Not Business As Usual

Posted on May 6, 2008July 5, 2021 by namho

Aside from a few companies such as Amazon, Google or Facebook, the value of Web2.0 for the business world is still unclear, and return on investment still seems murky at best. However for the non-profit world, the value of Web2.0 is clear – the more the users are empowered and congregate around interest that they share, the better the opportunities for action.

In Korea, where I work, there is a lot of businesses coming online based on Web2.0 models, and a lot of talk around using Web2.0 to enhance service offerings and user experience, but little talk about the social impact that Web2.0, which to me is missing the whole point of Web2.0.

Tim O’Reilly said back in 2005, Web is a platform. A platform to do what? We should at least consider the potential of it becoming an agent for change and the betterment of society as a whole.

What is encouraging is that there are already many services by the big players in the Korean online space that make online donation easy and fun. Korea’s leading social networking site, Cyworld has its online volunteer matching and giving site called Cytogether where you can donate your time or “acorns” to a cause. Naver, the Korean search engine / online portal behemoth has a service called Happy Bean where you collect “beans” worth about 10 cents for every email you sent through their email service. You can donate these you causes and donations are matched by corporate sponsors. CJ Foundation (CJ is part of the Samsung conglomerate) has its own version of the US site DonorsChoose.org called DonorsCamp.

A culture of donation doesn’t spring up overnight, but if you look at the numbers, citizens who are online (or “netizens” as they are called here) are beginning to donate generously.

But these services are only limited in their scope and potential and only scratch at the surface of serious change. In one of the most wired places on earth, shouldn’t we expect more innovative services that enable and empower people to think differently.

When I was recently asked to give a 1 hour presentation at OpenTide China, in Beijing, on a subject of my choice, I chose to put together a presentation highlighting some of the work that I was involved in while I was working at Forum One Communications (my previous place of employment), that involved innovative use of Web2.0 for social action. I ended up giving the same presentation again to staff at VINYL, Seoul, where I currently work. The presentation outline Web2.0 principles and then introduces 4 “stories” or projects I was directly or indirectly involved in. The projects are CARMA, Changemakers, Ask Your Lawmaker and DonorsChoose (I didn’t have direct involvement but know the project well because I good friend worked on the Korean counterpart DonorsCamp).

Here’s the presentation I gave:

SlideShare | View | Upload your own

Recent Posts

  • Four Strategies for Going Mobile
  • Mobile storytelling: an evolving story
  • Desperately seeking good kimchi in Seattle
  • iPad as disruptive innovation in education
  • Up close with Ashoka founder Bill Drayton

Recent Comments

  • Maya Bailey on Sugar on Eee PC
  • Chris Motorcycle merchandise on Hanoi and its love of motorcycles
  • Tilly Holmes on Hanoi and its love of motorcycles
  • sj on ChangeON conference presentation
  • Aaron Stewart on Personalization and Mobile Phones

Archives

  • January 2012
  • November 2011
  • September 2011
  • January 2011
  • June 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • March 2009
  • January 2009
  • November 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008
  • March 2008
  • February 2008
  • January 2008
  • December 2007
  • October 2007
  • September 2007
  • August 2007
  • July 2007

Categories

  • ~everything else
  • architecture
  • book review
  • design
  • hanoi / sustainable future
  • internet culture
  • korea / tourist at home
  • mobile technology
  • sleepless in seattle
  • social change
  • sustainability
  • urbanism
  • user experience
  • web 2.0
  • web design

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org
©2023 Strange Systems | Built using WordPress and Responsive Blogily theme by Superb