Look before you leap into Web 2.0

Business giants are keen to become involved in Web 2.0 technology, but they shouldn’t lose sight of security issues

At the risk of being called a luddite, allow me to make a shocking announcement: I do not have a Facebook account.

Nor can you find me on Bebo, reporting my comings and goings on Twitter or posting videos to sites such as YouTube. I have yet to be seduced by the social networking phenomenon affectionately known as Web 2.0.

But big business, it seems, is rushing to embrace the benefits of Web 2.0 technology, from social-networking forums to blogs, internal wikis, podcasts and even mash-ups.

British Airways is the latest, intending to deliver an interactive, door-to-door view of passengers’ entire journey direct to their PC or mobile device.

And BA is not alone. Supermarket giant Tesco wants to use initiatives such as social networking and interactive feedback to replicate the feel of a local community in cyberspace.

Waitrose is also planning a social network that will allow customers to debate topics such as organic food, trade culinary tips and upload favourite recipes on its web site.

Am I alone as a consumer in resisting the allure of Web 2.0? I do not want to go online and chat with my supermarket manager about the latest trends in food.

But there are certainly business benefits to be derived from some of the initiatives proposed.

Wikis and collaboration tools can improve internal communication, while interactive web sites can give businesses a new way of reaching and communicating with their customers.

But there are dangers too. By opening up web sites to share data with other organisations, companies leave themselves open to potential data breaches and privacy concerns. User-generated content can also allow the uploading of malicious content that could cripple other users.

Then of course, there is possibly the biggest question of all. Do Web 2.0 technologies actually add any value to a business, particularly consumer-facing companies?

Gartner vice president Jackie Fenn says the business case is still being made for the practical applications of Web 2.0.

All this suggests a need for caution when looking to new web technologies, even as others remain bullish.

The chief executive of Cisco Systems, for example, says Web 2.0 will drive businesses into a new phase of productivity growth that could surpass the dot com boom.

So for now, I remain alone in resisting Web 2.0, though the consequences of being the last person to become involved with Facebook are minor.

For businesses, rushing into Web 2.0 could prove critical if it breaches the trust they have built up with customers.

Read the newsdesk blog at: newsdesk.computing.co.uk