(Transitions) Tim Berners Lee, on 6 August 1991, put up the first world wide website on a computer at the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Geneva.
Two weeks later, Soviet hardliners launched a coup, which failed, leading to the collapse of the Soviet Union.
A coincidence? Yes, as it happens. A pure coincidence. The invention of the internet had nothing to do with the Soviet collapse.
But it is very tempting to find simple causes to complex events, and to attribute a special power to the onward march of technology.
It is common to see the argument that Facebook and Twitter are responsible for the rise of Donald Trump – with Russian hackers playing a crucial role. […]
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