1.3: Web Science
Understand the Web and explore new ideas. Other Information:
Challenge: The Research Gap. The Web is not just technology, but "humanity connected by technology". With over 1 trillion
public pages (in 2008) and 1.7 billion people on the Web (in 2009), even experts do not fully comprehend the complexity and
potential of this evolving system of people, information and links. This is a risk to the creative, yet responsible, evolution
of the Web. The Web Science Program is the Web Foundation's focused effort to address the "knowledge gap". Web Science Trust
and the Web Foundation have a common commitment to advance the new discipline of Web Science, and will work together on projects
that improve our understanding of the Web and promote the Web's positive impact on society. Web Science seeks to educate the
next generation of scientists who will improve our understanding of the Web's complex nature, and explore new technologies
that could ultimately make the Web even more powerful for all people on the planet, an effort necessary to support our Web
in Society program objectives. The World Wide Web Foundation is in the process of launching a new index — the World Wide Web
Index. The Web Index will provide an annual measure of the shape, size, structure and use of the Web, and very importantly
its social and economic impact on a per country and global basis. In addition to increasing our understanding of the Web and
its evolution, the Web Index will provide a trusted tool for governments, international organizations, donors, investors and
the press to identify economic sectors, geographical areas, languages, technologies, demographics, etc., where investment
in the Web could boost social and economic development. More news on this will be available before the end of 2010.
Indicator(s):
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