Tagging is an essential part of the new participatory web. Users add tags to
online items they want to save and find again. These items can be anything from bookmarks (de.lic.ious) to images (flickr) to personal goals (43 Things).
The result of this collective process is an enormous bottom-up classification system; one which poses a challenge to the traditional category-based taxonomies and controlled vocabularies used by librarians and archivists. Ellyssa Kroski offers an excellent overview of the benefits and pitfalls
of this new "folksonomy."
Another compelling aspect of the tagging phenomenon is described by Shel Holtz. By placing a tag on something in my own web site, I can let a broadcaster, advertiser, or other content provider know that my item is available for sale or public release. Rather than everyone submitting information
to a central site, these "edge" companies reach out, organize and distribute the tagged items.
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