The last time The Economist ran a big survey of the Internet (1996?) I bought dozens of copies and sent them to all my clients and suppliers with a stern letter insisting that they read it cover to cover. The latest is not quite as exciting but strikingly keeps the faith. Many of the scenarios outlined are hardly rosey (privacy meltdown, big brother states, copyright overkill) and the ‘Internet Society’ described is hardly a paradise on earth but it will still change everything. You may need to subscribe to see the survey but, if you do, it’s well worth a read.
In which I try, after 25 years of blogging, to drop my ironic stance a bit.