Overconnected

This original presentation covers the history, benefits, problems and possible solutions associated with the Internet’s expansion. Venture capitalist and author William Davidow is a Silicon Valley insider who convincingly argues that global interconnectivity greatly stresses political and economic institutions’ ability to police the Internet. His examples illustrate that recent economic crashes – as well as invasions of privacy, identity hacking and the proliferation of pornography – are all part of the Internet’s unregulated advance. Davidow warns that the Internet will impel bigger, more complex institutional breakdowns and economic manias, and that only increased government regulation can keep it in check. getAbstract recommends his cautionary report to those who study technology and those who use it.