The 20 Biggest Tech Stories Of 2020

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Dark times: The coronavirus pandemic left cities nearly empty and society dependent on online services to connect. 

Sarah Tew/CNET



For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the [ WHO website].

In a year when the coronavirus pandemic raged across the globe, infecting tens of millions and [ killing nearly 2 million people], words like "unprecedented," "extraordinary" and "grim" became cliches. Alongside [/news/wildfires-in-western-us-show-we-cant-continue-to-ignore-climate-change/ wildfires], a [/news/hurricanes-we-can-study-them-but-we-cant-alter-their-course/ record season of hurricanes] and a nationwide debate over racial justice, it's easy to miss the flood of tech news that emerged in 2020. 
From the simmering battle between DC and Big Tech companies to the streaming wars and Zoom's emergence as sometimes our sole connection to other people, each entry reflects just how big a role technology now plays in our lives -- for better or [/news/quibi-twitter-hack-and-misinformation-the-biggest-tech-fails-of-2020/ worse]. In the midst of such terrible circumstances, tech often threw a lifeline to millions of people.






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So as a recap, I cobbled together the 20 biggest stories of 2020. You'll note that the coronavirus by itself doesn't make the list. But virtually every one of these items was influenced by the pandemic. Here they are, in ascending (least to most) order of importance. 
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