Experts in user-generated content and Web 2.0 projects have been expressing
fears that the trend will lead to the internet being flooded with useless data.
Speaking at a panel session at the
Web
2.0 Summit in San Francisco, the experts said that the plethora of new
information being created is a benefit, but also a serious danger as it is
confusing users.
"Moore's Law is both our friend and our enemy," said James Powell, chief
technology officer at financial information firm
Thomson
Reuters.
"All forms of information are being added at a tremendous rate. It's the job
of people in the industry to manage that fire hose of information."
Powell cited the current financial crisis as an example of how this build up
of information can be dangerous. The credit crunch occurred at a time when there
had never been more information available to the industry, he said, but this
excess of data had masked the warning signs.
Powell joked that a colleague had suggested that the purpose of Web 3.0 would
be to clean up the vast amount of junk data left by Web 2.0 projects.
Other panellists agreed that one of the major problems of Web 2.0 projects is
how to filter out junk information. However, they believe that the end result
will be worth it.
"We are moving away from being hunter/gatherers of information," said David
Marks, chief technology officer at content management firm
Loomia.
"We will see media developing that is a transition from a single presence
into information sources that are interactive, but also actionable."
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