The phrase, coined throughout a 2006 U.S. Senate listening to, refers metaphorically to the web. It turned a well known and sometimes ridiculed illustration of a perceived lack of expertise of web know-how by legislators. For instance, the speaker used this time period when describing how info travels throughout the web.
The importance lies in its illustration of the challenges of successfully regulating or legislating advanced technological infrastructures when a basic grasp of their operational mechanics is absent. This specific phrasing highlighted the necessity for policymakers to change into higher knowledgeable concerning the applied sciences they’re making an attempt to control, particularly as these applied sciences change into more and more integral to fashionable society and the financial system. It serves as a reminder of the significance of technological literacy in public coverage.