Web 3.0 Definition 2

Web 3.0, the "official" definition.

Some folks have been asking me for the clear definition of the term Web 3.0.

* Web 3.0 is defined as the creation of high-quality content and services produced by gifted individuals using Web 2.0 technology as an enabling platform.

Web 2.0 services are now the commoditized platform, not the final product. In a world where a social network, wiki, or social bookmarking service can be built for free and in an instant, what's next?

Web 2.0 services like digg and YouTube evolve into Web 3.0 services with an additional layer of individual excellence and focus. As an example, funnyordie.com leverages all the standard YouTube Web 2.0 feature sets like syndication and social networking, while adding a layer of talent and trust to them.

A version of digg where experts check the validity of claims, corrected errors, and restated headlines to be more accurate would be the Web 3.0 version. However, I'm not sure if the digg community will embrace that any time soon.

Wikipedia, considered a Web 1.5 service, is experiencing the start of the Web 3.0 movement by locking pages down as they reach completion, and (at least in their German version) requiring edits to flow through trusted experts.

Also of note, is what Web 3.0 leaves behind. Web 3.0 throttles the "wisdom of the crowds" from turning into the "madness of the mobs" we've seen all to often, by balancing it with a respect of experts. Web 3.0 leaves behind the cowardly anonymous contributors and the selfish blackhat SEOs that have polluted and diminished so many communities.

Web 3.0 is a return to what was great about media and technology before Web 2.0: recognizing talent and expertise, the ownership of ones words, and fairness. It's time to evolve, shall we?

[ Note: Make sure you read the update on the unauthorized comments. I also added quotes around official since some folks actually thought that I had the power to lay down the official definition of what our industry will be doing over the next 10 years--really. :-) ]

* Oct 3rd 2007 9:30PM
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Reader Comments
(Page 2 of 3)

21. Whew! Glad that's solved!

Posted at 8:34AM on Oct 4th 2007 by Michael Julson

22. Hi Jason, I agree with you on the aspect of usage of the current platforms in next generation services. However, since allmost all of them are destination based (walled gardens) it won't be easy to make the next step. All social network creators, for example, are trying to increase their value by enlarging and leveraging their network, instead of focussing on true user value. We need a much more open structure and service creators that create user value. I have written several posts about this subject and gotten some really smart responses on them. If interested check out:
http://vanelsas.wordpress.com/2007/09/28/the-flaws-in-web-20-and-how-to-correct-them/
From this a new discussion starts where we are looking at ways to describe this next generation services, where I think Social Interaction will be the key feature. It isn't the network, or the user profile that really creates value. It is also not just about talent, it is the interaction between people. For more on that see:
http://vanelsas.wordpress.com/2007/10/03/design-of-an-open-social-interaction-network-human-needs/

Posted at 8:36AM on Oct 4th 2007 by Alexander van Elsas

23. Lame!

Posted at 8:38AM on Oct 4th 2007 by Eric

24. Reminds me of this memorable Dilbert strip:

http://www.dilbert.com/comics/dilbert/archive/dilbert-20070909.html

Posted at 9:56AM on Oct 4th 2007 by Peter Thomas

25. Actually, it read as though Jason is saying Web 2.0 was inspired by the freemarket views of Adam Smith and Web 3.0 will be inspired by Stalin's revolution from above!

Web 3.0: Long live the managed web! (?)

Posted at 9:57AM on Oct 4th 2007 by lucia

26. So by this definition, would my blog be considered Web 3.0? .. focusing on the high-quality part.

Posted at 9:58AM on Oct 4th 2007 by Paul Stamatiou

27. With all due respect for your accomplishments to date, excellence in anything is rare. To paint the next evolution of Web development as being defined by excellence or even "high quality" is an exercise in naivete, in my opinion.

Posted at 10:06AM on Oct 4th 2007 by Jeffrey

28. Jason

an interesting premise, but I'm not sure I agree. Surely the 'Web 3.0' digg, Wikipedia or whatever is one in which the behaviour and reaction of site visitors is put to use, rather than expecting 'expert' users to actively intervene more often?

Web 2.0 - whether you like the name or not - has given us much. We've seen the rise of participation, but that participation has tended to exist in a growing number of relatively isolated islands. My behaviour on digg does not reflect upon my use of Wikipedia, etc. With growing semantic manipulation of the content and its use by people (clickstreams and more), we open up new opportunities to enrich the user experience with reference to previous uses by yourself and by others.

This isn't the "Semantic Web", but it's brought about by a pragmatic integration of 'semantic technologies' with the approaches and crowds of 'Web 2.0'.

And it's not a long way off, either.

Posted at 10:22AM on Oct 4th 2007 by Paul Miller

29. Please... More like: "Web 3.0, a definition suited to my trying to sell mahalo.com..." or somehting like that.

Congrats for the noise, though, it should make up for the declining page views in mahalo.com...

Posted at 10:24AM on Oct 4th 2007 by Jope

30. Having spent yesterday at FOWA (http://www.futureofwebapps.com/) in London, it's pretty clear that it should have been called "State of..." rather than "Future of...". That's the glory of today's web, no one genuinely knows where it will end up, so it's a bit early to be declaring and defining Web 3.0. Unilateral declaration of of an "official definition" is likely to annoy one or two people as well, so I shall watch proceedings with interest.

Posted at 10:24AM on Oct 4th 2007 by Matt

31. Hi

You're all wrong. I think you haven't seen world's first Web3.0 website - http://nowasciana.pl/

Cheers,
Paulo

Posted at 10:27AM on Oct 4th 2007 by Paulo

32. Absurd

Posted at 10:34AM on Oct 4th 2007 by Nate Westheimer

33. Hey Jason -- Ok, if "creating high quality content" implies "using the Semantic Web" to do it, then I agree. I've written extensively about defining Web 3.0 on my blog. In general I think it is best defined as the third-decade of the Web (2010 - 2020), where the focus is on upgrading the backend of the Web (for example using RDF).

Posted at 11:05AM on Oct 4th 2007 by Nova Spivack

34. Great info and great insight, just added to Wikpedia.

Posted at 11:28AM on Oct 4th 2007 by Bill Hartzer

35. Jason,

you are defining web 0.0

Web 1.0 had webmasters doing all the dirty work
Web 2.0 has the users doing this..
and in your definition,
Web 3.0 will have users doing the dirty work and then the editors(or webmaster, whatever) cleaning that off!

Posted at 11:29AM on Oct 4th 2007 by Anand

36. I disagree. I believe Web 3.0 is going to be the full convergence of the web (IP) with older broadcast and distribution channels (tv, radio, mobile/voice, etc.) and the services that support it. This is why everything you are seeing happen is happening right now and it's going to drive the web more than anything else in the future. The content and services are the smaller part of the picture.

I can understand the 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 reference to the web because it's so common in technology development but I think it's what's under the internet, not on top, that will define the next generation of usage.

Just my .2







Posted at 1:15PM on Oct 4th 2007 by patricia

37. Such pretentious drivel. I can't decide whether to laugh or cry. Get over yourself.

Posted at 1:52PM on Oct 4th 2007 by Paul

38. Web 3.0 = Semantic Web

What you see people building on Web 2.0 platforms are really Web 2.0 services.

Posted at 1:57PM on Oct 4th 2007 by alex

39. So your opinion is that Web 3.0 will be a locked down version of Web 2.0, with Mahalo as a shining example.

I think you're going in absolutely the wrong direction, but it's obviously what you believe, as you're putting your efforts in that direction.