Before Google’s recent swagger into geopolitics, another, smaller story had caught the attention of the Internet’s commentariat. A feature called Google Suggest appeared to be self-censoring results that would have disparaged Islam – and Google found itself accused of cowardice. If ever you needed an illustration of the bind Google has worked its way into, here it be.

Coming to the end of a long and curious decade, we could talk about so many of the things it’s wrought. We could talk of Facebook friends and Twitter followers, of the all-seeing eye of Google or the all-beguiling iPhone. But I want to talk about Gary Brolsma instead. Because if you want to tell the story of what happened in the oughts, look at the boy who danced the Numa Numa.