13. Epilog: What Could Go Really, Really, Wrong?

The previous twelve chapters have been optimistic. Google may impose very high costs on all of society, even if mostly they are well-hidden. Facebook may be able to manipulate elections at the moment. And the digital transformation of everything may require that societies think long and hard about fairness and the new social contract. But regulation catches up, and societies solve their problems. They always have. But what if this time they don’t? AT&T cooperated with the government. Railroads were tamed. The power of robber barons and mega-financiers was controlled. What if this time is different? This Chapter explores four very different alternative future scenarios. In two of them, American technology continues to dominate the net, while in the other two China’s Made in China 2025 initiative succeeds in shifting advantage to China. In two, the current world order remains as we understand it, while in the other two, global mega-corporations take over many of the functions previously performed by national governments. All of these scenarios are possible, but I am certain that all readers will have a strong preference for one of them. If so, we should act to promote our preferred scenario while we still can.