Helen Lewis: Harry Potter is one of the biggest fan experiences modern culture has to offer. She says Rowling was taken aback when she saw how her books were colliding with the still quite new internet. "I'm so happy that I'm alive at the same time as the internet," said Rowling.
The early days of the internet collide with the feverish fandom of “Harry Potter,” and a sprawling, global community emerges. But the hopefulness of this new technology brings with it the darker impulses of human nature.
Produced by Andy Mills, Matthew Boll, and Megan Phelps-Roper, with special thanks to Candace Mittel Kahn and Emily Yoffe.
This show is proudly sponsored by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. FIRE believes free speech makes free people. Learn more at thefire.org.