The impact of Web 2.0 upon culture, education, and knowledge is obfuscated by the pervasiveness of Web 2.0 applications and technologies. Web 2.0 is commonly conceptualized in terms of the tools that it makes possible, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Wikipedia. In the context of information literacy instruction, Web 2.0 is frequently conceptualized in terms of the ways that Web 2.0 tools can be used to deliver instructional content, demonstrate information literacy concepts, and support constructivist pedagogy. This essay suggests that viewing Web 2.0 solely in terms of the functional value of Web 2.0 applications constrains critical inquiry into the ways that Web 2.0 can inform definitions of information literacy. The author reviews existing literature describing uses of Web 2.0 in information literacy instruction and suggests that Web 2.0 presents opportunities to engage students in critical thinking about the social and political aspects of information production and to encourage students to view themselves as active agents in the creation of information and knowledge.