ABSTRACT
In the twenty-first century computing and internet use became everyday experiences for most people in the developed world. Information technology companies became ever larger and more influential, and measures were put in place to regulate them. Among contemporary concerns were their environmental impacts and how they treated their workers – in terms of labor conditions and employment rights. Software, especially, became an important commercial entity. So that software could not be pirated or cloned, it had to be afforded the protections long available to other products and services. As major firms began to dominate their markets, antitrust measures were put in place to rein them back to allow new competitors to emerge. Such measures, implemented in the United States, Europe, and other regions, were only partially successful. Social media became a medium of communication for political interests, special interest groups, and individuals – some malevolent – which had to be regulated. Also, the privacy, security, and surveillance of citizens became problems in need of solutions.
