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How to Save the Internet: The Threat to Global Connection in the Age of AI and Political Conflict
'A gripping and timely book. Nick Clegg writes with clarity, authority and urgency' PETER FRANKOPAN
The global, open internet is fragmenting. How To Save the Internet outlines the global cooperation needed to reform Big Tech and preserve the internet as we know it.
As democracies aim to control Big Tech, Silicon Valley adopts an America-first agenda, and authoritarian regimes like China and Russia isolate their populations from the internet, the most powerful tool for bringing us together risks being dismantled.
Nick Clegg, Meta’s former President of Global Affairs, reveals where Big Tech has faltered, how Silicon Valley’s insularity has led to mistakes, and the necessary radical reforms for global platforms to ensure their future.
While new regulations are crucial, imposing national borders on the internet would undermine its capacity for sharing knowledge, collaboration, education, trade, research, and ultimately, for the empowerment and improvement of billions of lives.
Radical, reasonable, deeply felt and disarmingly honest, this is the book we need to save the internet.
'A vital read for anyone building or regulating the next era of technology' REID HOFFMAN, LinkedIn Co-Founder
The global, open internet is fragmenting. How To Save the Internet outlines the global cooperation needed to reform Big Tech and preserve the internet as we know it.
As democracies aim to control Big Tech, Silicon Valley adopts an America-first agenda, and authoritarian regimes like China and Russia isolate their populations from the internet, the most powerful tool for bringing us together risks being dismantled.
Nick Clegg, Meta’s former President of Global Affairs, reveals where Big Tech has faltered, how Silicon Valley’s insularity has led to mistakes, and the necessary radical reforms for global platforms to ensure their future.
While new regulations are crucial, imposing national borders on the internet would undermine its capacity for sharing knowledge, collaboration, education, trade, research, and ultimately, for the empowerment and improvement of billions of lives.
Radical, reasonable, deeply felt and disarmingly honest, this is the book we need to save the internet.
'A vital read for anyone building or regulating the next era of technology' REID HOFFMAN, LinkedIn Co-Founder
305 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 4, 2025
35 people are currently reading
302 people want to read
About the author
Nick Clegg
19 books19 followersNick Clegg is the former Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He was also Leader of the Liberal Democrats 2007-2015, Member of Parliament for Sheffield Hallam 2005-2017 and Member of the European Parliament for the East Midlands 1999-2004.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 17, 2025
dnf. this guy definitely would have let zuck win at catan.
October 24, 2025
Talks about timely issues, but the author’s bias toward Meta outshines every opinion and recommendation put forth by him. Meta’s documented involvement in spreading hatred and disinformation is touched upon. But the space given to it is overshadowed by the multitude of positives that are sprinkled (poured?) throughout the book.
Apart from this, the author does raise interesting questions about how increasing fragmentation of the internet due to deglobalisation, specifically in the face of growing AI tech, is a real concern. As long as you divorce the author’s bias from the content, it can turn out to be a thought-provoking read.
Apart from this, the author does raise interesting questions about how increasing fragmentation of the internet due to deglobalisation, specifically in the face of growing AI tech, is a real concern. As long as you divorce the author’s bias from the content, it can turn out to be a thought-provoking read.
February 17, 2026
Cleggs done a good job. Ok he was head of global affairs at meta, take it with a pinch of salt. Good rebuttal to Haidt. Not that convincing tho.
Freedom of data, it really is that important. You know what… governments imposing national internet “borders” isn’t on. A formerly global, open system, cannot become closed off per nation
Understandably, the tech bros really don’t want this level of politicisation. Why would they?, the level of scrutiny is unbearable for yutes like Zuck.
More Transparency, devolving decision making power to independent bodies, giving users more control over their data, more trust between policymakers and big tech for more balanced regulation.
That’ll fix it all…
Freedom of data, it really is that important. You know what… governments imposing national internet “borders” isn’t on. A formerly global, open system, cannot become closed off per nation
Understandably, the tech bros really don’t want this level of politicisation. Why would they?, the level of scrutiny is unbearable for yutes like Zuck.
More Transparency, devolving decision making power to independent bodies, giving users more control over their data, more trust between policymakers and big tech for more balanced regulation.
That’ll fix it all…
December 11, 2025
Doesn't engage honestly with criticisms of the tech sector. Creates convenient but misrepresentative strawmen arguments. Totally misses the point that Zuboff makes about how Meta which listen to conversations and then pop up with ads or suggestions to shape our behaviours and purchases. Quick and uninformative account of the significance of Lina Khan's approach to antitrust and gives short shrift to her efforts by judging her on her losses in unsympathetic courts. Intellectually dishonest piece of work that feels like we've paid someone with significant shareholding in Meta for the privilege of lobbying us.
January 13, 2026
"There have been serious mistakes, not least during the genocidal campaign by the military in Myanmar against the Rohingya, which peaked in 2017. Hate speech and incitement to violence were spreading on its services, but Facebook didn't have enough Burmese-speaking content moderators"
If I recall correctly, there was one. One Burmese-speaking content moderator for over 1 million users. "Didn't have enough" doesn't cover it and overlooks the piss poor attitude of Meta in investing in such things as the safety of its users.
The whole book is incredibly biased towards Meta and the use of AI. There’s perhaps one or two sentences on the effect huge data centres have on the environment, but endless paragraphs on the supposed benefits of AI being used everywhere. Let's use AI in every classroom, every home, every job, every possible moment.
And don't worry if your job is replaced by AI. AI will teach you the skills you need for a new job. 🙄
If I recall correctly, there was one. One Burmese-speaking content moderator for over 1 million users. "Didn't have enough" doesn't cover it and overlooks the piss poor attitude of Meta in investing in such things as the safety of its users.
The whole book is incredibly biased towards Meta and the use of AI. There’s perhaps one or two sentences on the effect huge data centres have on the environment, but endless paragraphs on the supposed benefits of AI being used everywhere. Let's use AI in every classroom, every home, every job, every possible moment.
And don't worry if your job is replaced by AI. AI will teach you the skills you need for a new job. 🙄
October 9, 2025
Kind of interesting but not that deep.
October 27, 2025
Nick has an interesting take on the future (and status quo) of the Internet as someone who has worked in politics and as an executive at Meta. I found his perspective unique as it runs counter to people I look up to, like Tristan Harris for example.
January 1, 2026
'You don't have to aspire to be the next Taylor Swift to welcome the idea of having a creative assistant in your pocket which can tailor bedtime stories to your children'
I think I'll pass, Nick.
This was the opener at Ilkley Literature Festival last year. Credit to Nick here. He's a man switched on to geopolitics and a valid lamenter of Brexit. It was a good talk.
But it's far from a great book - about as wishy washy as they come, puts forward arguments with cherry picked evidence yet is remarkably self-aware of this fact.
Makes the wild claim that social media sites are more reliant on you returning to the site rather than the length of your stay, which is obvious baloney when it comes to TikTok's doomscroll psychology or X's walled garden approach.
Occasionally points out some interesting contradictions. Nick claims that Sam Altman is an AI doomer to try and handicap and hammer down regulation on allegedly dangerous open source models. Although that point is taken from Ben Thompson and is barely meditated on at all.
So basically, a few interesting ideas that he doesn't really talk about, and then spurious, unbelievable claims the rest of the way.
I think I'll pass, Nick.
This was the opener at Ilkley Literature Festival last year. Credit to Nick here. He's a man switched on to geopolitics and a valid lamenter of Brexit. It was a good talk.
But it's far from a great book - about as wishy washy as they come, puts forward arguments with cherry picked evidence yet is remarkably self-aware of this fact.
Makes the wild claim that social media sites are more reliant on you returning to the site rather than the length of your stay, which is obvious baloney when it comes to TikTok's doomscroll psychology or X's walled garden approach.
Occasionally points out some interesting contradictions. Nick claims that Sam Altman is an AI doomer to try and handicap and hammer down regulation on allegedly dangerous open source models. Although that point is taken from Ben Thompson and is barely meditated on at all.
So basically, a few interesting ideas that he doesn't really talk about, and then spurious, unbelievable claims the rest of the way.
November 5, 2025
Is Clegg a bumbling techno-optimist, or still on Meta’s payroll?
Clegg spends the first half of the book defending social media - first downplaying its harms by citing a few dozen studies (which he admits are inconclusive). He then trivializes concerns about social media’s negative impact by comparing them to past “moral panics” over new technology, emphasizing how traditional media tends to overstate threats to its own dominance. Finally, he dismisses worries about political polarization caused by social media, arguing that today’s divisions are neither unique nor especially apocalyptic. According to Clegg, the any “techlash” is actually an American phenomenon driven by Trump’s rise in 2016. The problem isn’t social media, he says - it’s America’s own deep-seated issues.
The second half turns to “how to save the internet,” a meandering section filled with vague recommendations about regulating the web - just not too much. There are a few interesting ideas, like the potential for a “splinternet,” but not many genuinely novel arguments.
Clegg spends the first half of the book defending social media - first downplaying its harms by citing a few dozen studies (which he admits are inconclusive). He then trivializes concerns about social media’s negative impact by comparing them to past “moral panics” over new technology, emphasizing how traditional media tends to overstate threats to its own dominance. Finally, he dismisses worries about political polarization caused by social media, arguing that today’s divisions are neither unique nor especially apocalyptic. According to Clegg, the any “techlash” is actually an American phenomenon driven by Trump’s rise in 2016. The problem isn’t social media, he says - it’s America’s own deep-seated issues.
The second half turns to “how to save the internet,” a meandering section filled with vague recommendations about regulating the web - just not too much. There are a few interesting ideas, like the potential for a “splinternet,” but not many genuinely novel arguments.
November 3, 2025
As I've worked with Nick for a long time there wasn't a lot of new things and learnings in this book for me. However, since we share some values it's easy to also like a lot of what he's saying.
November 5, 2025
From a EU citizen perspective I don't think the US is leading the AI technology. We shall see..
January 16, 2026
interesting but as other have said it's biased, be grateful it's meta and not China, and Myanmar was not caused by Facebook algorithms
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews