Web 2.0: A Definition, Literature Review, and Directions for Future Research

Abstract

The Web 2.0 paradigm has gained substantial momentum in the last decade. The influence of Web 2.0 principlesand technologies has fueled an explosion of information and media content on the Web, and individual andcorporate adoption of the technologies continues to rise. As the popularity and usefulness of these technologiescontinue to unfold, there has yet been no concise definition of the term Web 2.0, nor a clear understanding of itsscope. We synthesize and analyze the extant academic and practitioner-oriented literature on the topic to 1) providea clear, concise definition of the term Web 2.0, 2) categorize previous literature and uncover opportunities for futureresearch, and 3) formulate a framework and accompanying recommendations to focus future research on the mostsalient topics. This paper can serve as a clear starting point for future academic research on Web 2.0 and its relatedprinciples and technologies.