Seven things that shook the tech world in 2019

TECH WITHOUT THE DARK SIDE Technology has brought us products that reshape how people live and businesses function. But as with big energy companies, those products also are harmful. We found out this year that tech firms weren’t honest with themselves and the public about the tradeoffs

THE HUMBLING FOR UNICORNS

Uber and Lyft became the symbols for unicorns that landed with a thud as investors doubted their economic models and strategies. WeWork, encapsulated every 2010s tech excess, flipped from hyped to nearly dead. It’s possible that entire categories — on-demand services, new breed retailers etc — may prove mirages of investor cash and regulatory loopholes AMAZON’S MIGHT AND BLIND SPOTS It was a mixed year for Amazon. Along with new, mind-boggling numbers, there has been more attention on the pressures faced by workers; harmful stuff sold on site; environmental damage from ecommerce habits it helped ingrain and how it flexes its power to its advantage