. >> reporter: that's media expert zach clayton. he says while the last phase of the internet was about information, this one is all about relationships. >> in two years, you could easily see 25% to 50% of the web being closed, walled-off social networks. >> reporter: that's why the knight foundation's john bracken says it should come as no surprise that businesses are using it to talk to customers. >> increasingly, particularly in the u.s. and the developing world, it's hard to imagine a robust media presence or brand you care about that's not thinking about engaging in social media. >> reporter: like dell. it has a site where consumers brainstorm products they'd like the company to develop. starbucks' fans also talk and critique ideas online. so far, that's meant 25,000 suggestions for coffee drinks alone. and it's not just big business taking advantage of social media. threadless.com is a t-shirt company that gets all its designs online from customers. >> it is... is a community of people they've built and engaged in their busine