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Will Web 2.0 Survive The New Year?

Are you just about sick to death of the so-called magic phrase "Web 2.0?" If so, you'll be pleased to hear that it's doomed to crash and burn faster than Britney's/Lindsey's/(insert scandal-ridden starlet's name here) career. At least, that's what one U.K.-based research firm claims.

The folks at Scivisum predict that 2008 will see the end of Web 2.0. Their logic: worried about the effect that questionable content might have on their products' good names and reputations, companies will begin pulling advertising from the open pastures of social networks, wikis, Second Life, and so forth.

In other words, Disney might think twice about advertising family vacation getaways on a MySspace or Facebook-esque site where half-naked, drunken co-eds proudly post their Spring Break pictorials.

Or will they? Duncan Riley over at TechCrunch thinks the odds of this happening are slim at best, and I'm inclined to agree. Sure, there might be some flight risks among a few advertisers who hold their corporate images and name brands in high esteem, but ultimately, what company is going to let their principles outweigh the prospect of serious revenue? So what if your billboard overlooks a Red Light District in Second Life? Who cares about a couple of off-color comments in a LiveJournal blog post? High-traffic sites mean more eyes on the ads, and more cash in pocket. So while you won't see ads for the (dreaded and no doubt inevitable) Alvin and the Chipmunks sequel on some Triple X site, you can be sure the marketing folks will continue to plaster MySpace and similar sites with them.

What do you think? Will 2008 ring in as the year that Web 2.0 soars or strikes out?

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