I study the Internet’s flaws. The pandemic reminded me of its joys.; The Washington Post, May 14, 2020

Josephine Wolff, The Washington Post; I study the Internet’s flaws. The pandemic reminded me of its joys.

"I feel unexpectedly affectionate toward the Internet, almost weepy at times about the sheer accomplishment of the people who designed and built it — an accomplishment that’s more valuable than ever right now.

Technology, in short, is a source of tremendous solace at the moment, and not just because it’s my only line of communication to my parents, my grandparents, the brother whose Netflix account I’m using on a daily basis, my friends and my students — not to mention every company I’ve ever bought a pair of shoes from that suddenly feels the need to inform me via email, at some length, about its response to the coronavirus. Yes, part of what makes me emotional about the Internet is that it connects me to the people I’m feeling emotional about right now. But it’s also my awe about the technological resilience and range of systems that make those connections possible."