Wednesday 07 October 14:30 – 18:00 YF5 Workshop.1 Room C Internet for Development Using Web 2.0 and Cutting Connectivity Costs Web 2.0, the term coined to refer to the evolution in the development of the World Wide Web, has given rise to social-networking sites, wikis, blogs and other hosted services and applications. How are youth defining the social and interactive Web? The Power of Web 2.0 is centered on three critical success factors: the use of open systems, small beginnings and easy-to-use interfaces. Knowledge and information are open to all. Shared knowledge leads to change and innovation where everybody can contribute to development and production. Essentially, it means that ordinary people, particularly youth, can lead change. How could Web 2.0 technologies and services facilitate the use of ICT for development (ICT4D) especially programmes focused on meeting the MDGs? What benefits and values can Web 2.0 provide to new Internet users in the developing world? Web 2.0 services and applications can also be used to access information, secure funding and business expertise and develop capacity building to create new business and employment opportunities. The workshop will also explore potential Web 2.0 business models and future trends expected beyond Web 2.0. What are the implications for young people in terms of policy, technology, funding, privacy and security? Web 2.0 developments depend on a robust broadband platform, which increasingly means national fibre backbones. Although the cost of fibre itself has gone down, the cost of digging trenches and obtaining rights of way to lay fibre in cities and towns has put the cost of fibre backbones beyond the reach of many developing countries. This session will also look at innovative strategies that can be used to encourage fibre backbone deployment, such as coordinating with other major infrastructure projects to lay fibre as rail systems, highways and pipelines are deployed or giving local governments fibre strands in exchange for rights of way. 108