Web Production I Blog Post Week 10

The symbolic understanding of Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 was the “Million Dollar Website” created by a college student to help him pay off his student loans. This website was a blank canvas used to advertise any product or company, each pixel being $1. In a rush for big name companies to set up domains for their companies, many different companies bought “retail space” on the Million Dollar Website, to advertise their brand. Most if not all of the space was sold and the creator of the website made a fortune. Todays world of Web 2.0 is very different, with practically the entire internet being an advertisement, things like domains were a hot commodity, and were sold to the highest bidder. Today, through data mining through social media and search history, companies can generate ad personalized for the user. Similar to the Target case, where an advertising algorithm figured out a woman was pregnant before her own father knew, due to her purchases, the internet has become the worlds biggest billboard. In short, the jump from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 has ultimately taken the principles the web was founded upon, free information and sharing, and has turned into the most free market economy since Hong Kong. Sure, the internet can bring you almost any good you desire at the most competitive price, but it has also taken a tole on our right to information and privacy.