Thursday's Good Read: Charity + Web 2.0 = Charity 2.0?

I have been interested and doing research on "Web 2.0," one of the most recognizable buzzwords around. As popular as the term Web 2.0 may be, many people, including myself, are still confused with its definition and what technology is considered as a part of Web 2.0 as opposed to, say, Web 1.0. Tim O'Reilly, in his seminal piece, explains what is Web 2.0 and technology associates with it. I highly recommend his article. Blog such as this one would be considered as Web 2.0 because it provides a platform for users like me to be the author of the web content.

With the existence of Web 2.0, other domains in the real life that utilizes Web 2.0 technology are purportedly named in the similar fashion, like Business 2.0, Classroom 2.0, Office 2.0, and Library 2.0, etc. Now, people are touting the idea that there ought to be Charity 2.0, a phenomenon where charity-based activities are increasingly more reliant on Web 2.0 technology to recruit people, raise money, organize events, and administer aids. While it is true that no form of technology can replace human-to-human interaction, it it unarguably evident that the internet plays an increasingly important role in facilitating the functions of charity groups. With the help of Web 2.0 technology, which emphasizes on user-based interactivity and open sourcing, Charity 2.0 might be at the verge of explosion in the near future.