The Internet is becoming increasingly embedded in everyday life. Drawing on an expanding array of intelligent web services and applications, a growing number of people are creating, distributing and exploiting user-created content (UCC) and being part of the wider participative web.This study describes the rapid growth of UCC and its increasing role in worldwide communication, and draws out implications for policy. Questions addressed include: What is user-created content? What are its key drivers, its scope and different forms? What are the new value chains and business models? What are the extent and form of social, cultural and economic opportunities and impacts? What are the associated challenges? Is there a government role, and what form could it take?Graham Vickery is Head of the Information Economy Group, Directorate for Science, Technology and Industry, OECD. He has published extensively on the information economy, technology strategies, sector developments and government policies, and directs the bi-annual OECD Information Technology Outlook and OECD work on digital content. Sacha Wunsch-Vincent is a Policy Analyst in the Information Economy Group, Directorate for Science, Technology and Industry, OECD. He has authored recent OECD studies on digital content, China and information technologies and e-business developments, as well as on the Internet and trade in digital products and cross-border electronic services.See www.oecdbookshop.org/oecd/display.asp?CID=&LANG=EN&SF1=DI&ST1=5L4MJXP7SLF1 or to directly download the book, see www.oecdbookshop.org/oecd/get-it.asp?REF=9307031E.PDF&TYPE=browse