The Web Design Journal

User generated content – a curse or salvation?

Posted on 01. Aug, 2006 by Daniel Aleksandersen in Web Development

Many Websites, especially the new generation Web 2.0 sites, relies on user generated content. The sites themselves offers no original content; that is the users job to provide.

But is this new structure a curse, or a salvation?

We have seen more than enough proof that most Web users prefer to just sit back and watch, they do not want to interact with the site. But when the sites rely on user interaction, this causes a huge problem.

New and more content is good, is it not?

Some would say that all content is good content. But others, especially search engines, know better.

A real curse of Websites relying on user content is spam and junk content. Tag flushing, spam comments, junk photos and all other automated attempts to get regular Web users attention is a real annoyance for everyone. And when a Website relies on those things to be genuine, new and original we are looking of a near to impossible task.

There have also been much talk lately regarding how much of user generated content is accurate or true. Some say that only one percentage of user generated content is truthful and reliable. The page providing the content will in its users eyes be held responsible for what published on the site; even if it is user generated.

So what is the advice?

Less user generated content and forced user interaction. But still provide its users way to say they appreciate the content or comment upon what they see.

Websites should rather aim at creating new and original content than making themselves depend on user-interaction. With good content: users will come, and they will find what they wanted to find.