Zócalo Public Square

In a little over two decades, the Internet has gone from a singular invention to an indispensable part of human life. Its rules — requisite anonymity, the free posting of information, and the power of the hive mind — have rapidly become norms that are rarely questioned. But much of the web’s standard design, functions, and assumptions rely on decades-old programming decisions that may not make the most sense for users today. Why is the Internet the way it is, and should we change it? Jaron Lanier, author of You Are Not a Gadget: A Manifesto and a longtime Silicon Valley innovator, argues that the Internet’s design — and the nearly religious commitment some technologists have for it — have made for a web that hurts the middle class, contributes to economic crisis, and denigrates intelligence and individual judgment. Lanier visited Zócalo to discuss the flaws and the future of the Internet.