As one of Early Adopters of Web 2.0 or Social Media applications, I am observing a number of imbalances and want to raise questions that others may have answers for or may want to unite to answer. This observations mostly relevant to the United States where I currently work and live.

Imbalances I am observing and interested in:

1. Disconnect between money invested in Web 2.0 start-ups and on-line advertising and
   growing elderly population who do not use Web 2.0., yet who possess financial means to pay for things being advertised on Web 2.0 and to support Web 2.0 development and growth.In other words, imbalance in growing expenditure of advertisers and VCs in Web 2.0 where primary users are 17-35 yo who possess less financial means than those from more affluent baby boomers generation.How can we involve more of those who are older, yet capable to learn and, better even, will be willing to pay for web 2.0 services where / if such services add to their life?
2. Increasing use of PCs and web (by young people) resulting in less active life style and increasing unconscious food consumption by young people while sitting in front of machines (be it to surf, play, or program).
   This coupled with an ever increasing variety of salty crunchy food and sweets ultimately will not bring this country to be a healthier nation.What can we do to change the trend to obesity? Can technology help?
3. Increasing number of similar services (10 or more photo sharing sites to name just one of them) where consumer / user of such services gets lost. Think a 45+ year old person (or 50+ yo) who is just starting to get to know web 2.0 — how would he/she know which “start-up”/service to pick? Can TechCrunch help with the choice?How can a (45+ yo) “newbie” sort through the cloud and choose what may work for him/her?Is there (Can someone start) a blog/service that tracks start-ups and new services that make it from Early Adopters to Early Majority? ( page views, unique visitors (per day, month), cash generation).
4. In the US, there are 7.5 million more women than men over the age of 50.
   What are all those women doing? How are they engaged in Web 2.0? Should they be?
   A quick search on Google bring “Women over 50” where technology is not even listed in the menu.
   Some All other links are even less soothing — divorce, fear of violence.
   There is good news: More babies born by women over 50 and the are special beauty tips for them.Anybody interested in engaging this capable part of population in Web 2.0 (besides pure match making)??

More on each of these in my next posts.