The Internet and the World Wide Web

Abstract

The enabling developments discussed in the last chapter (19) led to the creation of the Internet and the World Wide Web. The Internet and the Web, in turn, have subsequently changed many other aspects of our civilization, some for the better, others probably not. This chapter covers some of the changes, starting with the Internet and then the browsers, email, search engines, and other systems that depend on information concentration, dissemination, and sharing. The rise of games and gaming is discussed, as are the negative consequences of sharing misinformation, leading to political extremism. Problems of educating children when social contact is increasing remote and impersonal are another topic. The limits of AI are discussed briefly.