Are Disruptive Information Technologies Good or Bad? It's a Toss Up

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Throughout history, major information technologies have caused disruption and violence. The internet revolution initially brought optimism and excitement, but over time, people have recognized its complex and sometimes problematic effects. Industries like media and manufacturing have undergone massive changes. It is too simplistic to categorize the impact as solely good or bad.

Alex Wright is the Head of User Experience at Google News. He’s also an author, and his most recent book, Informatica, is the second edition of Glut, his deep history of the information age. In this conversation, we discuss the history of information technologies and why learning about it matters to people who work in tech.

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