One of the most prescient science fiction stories I ever read was written in the second half of the 20th century, well before the internet as we know it existed. In it, a terrorist has given the date and the time when he plans to destroy society. The future-cop protagonist naturally assumes this means some sort of weapon, a massive bomb, perhaps exploded on a subway or the center of a city.
In fact, all the terrorist does is take down the internet – not of course, called the “internet” in the story, but still, the internet. In that futuristic, science fictional vision of the 21st century, you see, everyone carries their own phone and everyone is in constant contact with everybody else. On the time and date predicted, that contact is cut off.
Chaos ensues. Businesses, transportation, government, the judicial system, public services, entertainment, the media, can’t function.
But more important than all that, neither can human beings. For the first time in their lives, people cannot communicate instantly with anyone other than other human beings who are within a few feet or yards from them.
The result is not pretty.
Pam Troy 