Currently we are in the internet era which is famous for web 2.0 technology, where users can interact directly on platforms such as blogs, social media and other web-based applications. In the future, along with the development of new technology and decentralization, we are heading towards web 3.0 or web3.
This is not easy, so in practice a transition called web 2.5 emerged. This article will discuss the meaning of web 2.5 and its applications in a number of examples.
What is Web 2.5?
Web 2.5 is a transitional stage from Web 2.0 to Web 3.0, which includes decentralized features that promote data security and privacy. In the Web 2.5 era, users can take advantage of existing features from web3 technology but with a familiar appearance as available on web2. Web 2.5 is not a definite technical term, but to illustrate that this is a transitional condition towards a new internet era.
To understand the term web 2.5, we need to understand how the character starts from web 1.0 and then the character of web2 and web3 itself.
a. Web 1.0
Initially, the Internet was a technological innovation that had changed the world and the initial stage of this development was called web 1.0. At that time, web 1.0 only provided one-way information, so users could only read, view or download information but not interact.
b. Web 2.0
Furthermore, the evolution of the internet is increasingly advanced with website 2.0 which allows user interaction on platforms, for example Facebook (now called Meta), Instagram, YouTube, and so on.
Here, there are corporate elements who act as intermediaries and have the authority to censor information and even block it.
c. Web 3.0
The future evolution of the internet will be web 3.0 which will be very advanced from current web 2.0 technology. A character that often appears and is related to web3 is decentralization, namely the absence of centralized authority.
Then, a system that is permissionless and trustless so that anyone can connect without the need for an intermediary. Other innovations along with web3 are the emergence of blockchain, cryptocurrency, NFT, AI (artificial intelligence), and metaverse.
However, because this technological leap is still very abstract, ordinary users may not want to bother going through the process of adopting these Web3 features. Therefore, web2.5 is here to provide the advanced features of web 3.0 but with the familiar comfort of web 2.0 sites.
So, Web 2.5 becomes a link between Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 while making a smooth transition. Users don't need to be tech savvy to create and share online content and creators can get paid for their work. Good examples are platforms like Opensea, SuperRare and Nifty Gateway, where anyone can become a publisher or creator and receive full value for their work.
Scarcity and Abundance
The current evolution of the internet supports the concept of scarcity and abundance. Let's use a fashion analogy like shoes to understand this concept.
Maybe before the advent of the Internet, young people didn't care about the brand of shoes or outfit they wore. Then the industry makes mass fashion products. So, people are starting to choose well-known brands and look for products that are limited or limited edition. Call it Nike Jordan shoes. Due to limited production, the price of these shoes is becoming increasingly expensive, even when used.
The scarcity value of these goods can be seen from their price in currency. This is different from mass production goods which have very large quantities (abundance). Now in web 2.5, there is a paradigm shift between Web 2.0 and Web 3.0.
Corporations and brand owners are reinventing business models based on scarcity and hitting the reset button. They allow everyone to be their own unique version just like those limited Nike Jordans.
This concept also supports the presence of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFT) developing along with blockchain technology. Blockchain itself is one of the innovations present in web3.
Support for Creators
When using website services, users definitely want free products. However, companies and developers providing platforms need income. They have to sell products or turn users into commodities. This is like the quote "If you don't pay for the product, then you are the product."
So, users become commodities that are sold to advertisers who dare to pay more. Furthermore, as the amount of data generated and collected by large companies such as Google and Facebook increases, concerns about data privacy and security are increasing.
On the other hand, creators such as artists who own songs on Spotify only make a small share of the platform's revenue.
Therefore, platform decentralization like web 3.0 characters is very useful for these creators. In fact, they can directly interact with fans using tokens, just like NFTs. NFT holders have the right to get special access related to their creators or idols.
Well, these fans don't have to have a digital wallet first, then buy certain cryptocurrencies which are completely available on web3. However, they can interact and buy tokens with fiat on website2. Then, they can get unique access just like owning NFT which is a technology on web3. The role of web 2.5 also emerged in this context.
Web 2.5 Building Community
Web 2.5 mixes “traditional” processes with blockchain-based concepts that are successful in building community and brand loyalty. As the community grows and daily active users or repeat customers increase, brands tend to earn more revenue.
On the other hand, customers and end users are rewarded for shopping with the brand. Also, they get digital assets that give them exclusive access to the group. Or, it could be that fans get first access to the brand's upcoming releases.
Apart from that, users also have the opportunity to collect coins and tokens as rewards. These coins or tokens give them benefits and discounts when shopping with the brand. So that in the end, both businesses and consumers benefit in their own way.
Web 2.5 Example
One example of Web 2.5 is Patreon, a social media that connects content creators with fans using a paid system. For artists or creators, Patreon is a way to earn income from the content they have created, whether in the form of webcomics, videos, songs or podcasts. Fans can pay artists or creators on a monthly basis or per post, depending on the payment schedule.
Another example of using web 2.5 is Zoop. Today, with Zoop, users can trade Web 3.0 assets such as digital collectibles (NFTs) using the same Web 2.0 infrastructure. Zoop's digital card trading platform sits on top of the Polygon Edge blockchain, but users don't need to have a thorough understanding of the technology.
Additionally, Zoop's celebrity cards become assets through NFT technology, and collectors do not need to know every aspect of this technology. Most importantly, Zoop accepts US dollar (USD) credit card payments. So, users don't need to have cryptocurrency to buy Zoop cards to start collecting or trading.
Conclusion
Blockchain has influenced every industry in existence, from finance to data storage and entertainment. Web 3.0 is the next big thing, and global businesses are trying to avoid extinction and participate in this transition. Hence, Web 2.5 emerged as a transition to the new Internet.
In addition, Web 2.5 provides the features and infrastructure of Web3 for users who are used to the convenience of Web2.