7.1.2 The development of information and communication technology

The emergence of Web 2.0 has significantly accelerated the digital revolution. Site visitors are becoming active participants in the network and are not just passive readers any more. There are many types of social media but they have much the same purpose, which is to connect the different participants on the network (Trudel P./Abran F., Gérer les enjeux et risques juridiques du Web 2.0 [Managing Legal Issues and Risks Associated with Web 2.0], p. 29). Technology is evolving very quickly in terms of equipment, with processing, network and storage capabilities all improving at a rapid pace. These developments allow increasingly precise data to be collected in ever-greater volumes, meaning new economic models become viable in response to new needs (Gasser U., Perspective on the Future of Digital Privacy, in: ZSR/RDS, Rechtsfragen im digitalen Zeitalter = Questions juridiques à l’ère du numérique [Legal Issues in the Digital Age], Helbing Lichtenhahn, Basel, p. 363).