Session 1 -- The Future of the Participative Web: Convergence and Diversity?

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The terms "web 2.0" or the "participative web" mark a key difference with the first wave of Internet activities in the late 1990s. This new phase repeats elements of the first wave (growing venture capital investment, high prices for Internet start-ups), and includes new trends (social networking, collaboration and interactions among individuals and firms) which are creating high expectations for innovation, growth and employment.

Participative web applications are increasingly being used in non-ICT sectors such as media, travel, and finance and wider activities such as research, healthcare, education and government. However, private and public strategies and viable business models are still in a state of flux and impacts are unclear. This session will explore the development of the participative web in four areas:

• Building the participative web: New web platforms and fixed and mobile infrastructure
• Investing in the future: New business creation and business models
• Applications software and services: Search engines, web services, computing capabilities
• Content creators: Media giants, businesses and individual users