Is social media going to break the Internet?

Maggie Fox, February 9 2007

Interesting article from BBC News about whether the Internet is up to what we’re asking of it, thanks to demand for HD video and social networking.

A recent report from Deloitte said 2007 could be the year the internet approaches capacity, with demand outstripping supply. It predicted bottlenecks in some of the net’s backbones as the amount of data overwhelms the size of the pipes.

The appetite for content from the net is growing at an exponential rate and there are real concerns that the network might not be up to the task

Now that’s interesting, isn’t it? What happens if the ISPs don’t upgrade fast and well enough and things slow to a snail’s pace? Will people abandon the Internet in droves? Could social media break the Internet?