Free IQ is a new site --still in the beta stage-- that may revolutionize the way people access information on the internet. It is free to join, and all members can both access and upload content. The focus is on material that contains valuable information of some kind.
There are already at least hundreds of videos and other items posted on Free IQ. While most video sites, such as YouTube, have content that is basically random, or entertainment-oriented, Free IQ is information-centered. While a lot of the content so far is related to the field of internet marketing (reflecting its first members, no doubt), the potential is there for people to share their knowledge in any realm.
The way the system works is that the content is ranked by the site's members. The more popular or useful an item is, the more people will rank it highly, and the closer it will be to the top of the listings. This makes Free IQ a kind of populist search engine, as opposed to traditional search engines, where listings are usually dominated by the most savvy marketers (not necessarily those offering the best content).
So the format of IQ is that of a search engine; indeed, the home page looks like a typical search engine page. The content, however, is much more focused and value-filled than on a typical search engine. There is also a social networking aspect to FreeIQ; a page where members describe themselves and can create their own mailing list.
The Free IQ site also includes a 2-tiered affiliate program, meaning that affiliates earn commissions on purchases from people they sign up, as well as people *their affiliates* sign up.
Despite the commercial nature of much of the site, what stands out about FreeIQ is, as the name implies, the amount of free content. There is plenty of free content on the net, of course, but most of it is trivial. There's nothing wrong with trivia, but it's also good to have a place to be able to access some useful knowledge.
Free IQ may grow and prosper; or it may fade away. It all depends on how the market reacts to this experimental format. I am rooting for it because I see a chance for people to have a new tool allowing them to contribute and access vast amounts of information for free.
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