Information technology has been one of the leading drivers of globalization, and it may also become one of its major victims.

Much of the real computer talent today is concentrated in the private sector.

Smart technologies are not just disruptive; they can also preserve the status quo. Revolutionary in theory, they are often reactionary in practice.

My hunch is that people often affiliate with causes online for selfish and narcissistic purposes. Sometimes, it may be as simple as trying to impress their online friends, and once you have fashioned that identity, there is very little reason to actually do anything else.

Social media's greatest assets - anonymity, 'virality,' interconnectedness - are also its main weaknesses.

I went to SXSW in 2011. God, that was awful. I mean, I only went because my publisher wanted me to promote the book and the organizers invited me and it seemed silly not to go, especially for a relatively unknown first-time author. This is just not my cup of tea; the fewer such events I do on an annual basis, the happier I feel.

Most other documents leaked to WikiLeaks do not carry the same explosive potential as candid cables written by American diplomats.