The honeymoon is over. That’s the thought I can’t shake as I navigate elusive opt-out menus and aggressive pop-ups. I remember this feeling different, feeling better. The thrill of a like, the carefree comfort of ad-free content. Now I just feel weary, swamped by privacy agreements, hostile commentary and relentless self-curation.

The internet has gone beyond transforming government, commerce, academia and the military. It has become an everyday accessory, a personal necessity. It’s nowhere and everywhere, invisible and omnipresent, irretrievably rewriting the scripts of language, behaviour and identity. We no longer mull over a moot point, a forgotten name. Not with limitless intelligence in our pockets.