• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechYear in Review

From Bitcoin to Net Neutrality: Fortune’s 10 Most-Read Tech Stories in 2017

By
Rachel King
Rachel King
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Rachel King
Rachel King
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 18, 2017, 9:00 AM ET

After all of the Trump tweets, Uber controversies, and endlessstream of cyberattacks, it might seem like 2017 has been the longest year ever. But, in fact, it will still measure just 365 days when all is said and done.

2017 has been a pivotal year for the tech world, from bitcoin’s rollicking ride to engineer Susan Fowler‘s blog post shining a light on gender inequality and the pervasiveness of sexual harassment in the industry well before the watershed of the Harvey Weinstein revelations. Pivoting to video hasn’t worked out well for many media brands that attempted to do so, and tech’s biggest names (see: Facebook, Google, and Twitter) increasingly find themselves in hot water with the federal government over actions (or lack thereof) for events that took place the year prior (see: the 2016 presidential election).

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter

There were a few surprises here and there, including some fluffy news stories that might have served as pleasant distractions in the moment. (Apparently everyone was really captivated by Sarahah…for a hot minute.)

Before we predict just how valuable (or not) bitcoin will be in 2018, here’s a glance back at the most-read tech stories on Fortune.com over the last 12 months:

10. What You Need to Know About Sarahah, the Hot New Anonymous Messaging App

Popular with U.S. teenagers and in a growing number of other countries, Sarahah is obviously not the first mobile app to catch fire after quickly gaining widespread popularity among young users. (Remember similar anonymous apps like Yik Yak, Secret, and After School?)

9. If You Bought $5 of Bitcoin 7 Years Ago, You’d Be $4.4 Million Richer

Over the course of seven years, bitcoin’s value has multiplied 879,999 times over since 2010. If an investor had decided to spend five dollars back then on about 2,000 bitcoins, that stake would be worth $4.4 million today.

8. Satire: Tesla’s Elon Musk Reveals the Next Big Automotive Trend

Elon Musk, founder and CEO of Tesla Motors, is revered for his visionary ideas: a mass-market electric car, a private space transport company, a mode of regional transportation that relies on vacuum-sealed tubes.

7. Net Neutrality Explained: What It Means (and Why It Matters)

Notice something curious about the statements made by Google and Comcast? They’re remarkably similar. Both companies say they reject blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization for Internet users. Their disagreement is over how to enforce it.

6. 7 Cryptocurrency Predictions From the Experts

Most people who are enthusiastic about cryptocurrency appear to agree that Bitcoin and its newer rival Ethereum have staying power, though they may be more bullish on one versus the other.

5. Winklevoss Twins Used Facebook Payout to Become Bitcoin Billionaires

Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss—the brothers who tried and failed to gain control of Facebook after alleging that it had been appropriated from them—have rebounded big-time.

4. What Is Litecoin, and Why Is It Beating Bitcoin This Year?

With digital currency Bitcoin taking the spotlight in 2017, it’s hard to remember the other cryptocurrencies that have been growing in its shadow. An increasingly-prominent example: Litecoin.

[fortune-brightcove videoid=5682139194001]

3. Sia Beats Paparazzi to the Punch By Posting Her Own Nude Photo

Many artists fight tooth and nail to prevent nude pictures of themselves from being posted online. Australian singer-songwriter Sia, when faced with the threat of paparazzi selling those images to the highest bidder, took matters into her own hands.

2. You Can Link Your Sarahah Account On Snapchat. Here’s How

Sarahah is the latest anonymous messaging app to blow up on the App Store’s download charts. And a lot of users are interested in how they can link it to their Snapchat account.

1. Harvard Yanks 10 Acceptance Letters Over Offensive Facebook Posts

They posted memes about rape and dead children and the Holocaust. They joked that hanging a Mexican child should be called “pinata time.” And now Harvard has decided it doesn’t want them anymore.

About the Author
By Rachel King
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

AIchief executive officer (CEO)
Microsoft AI boss Suleyman opens up about his peers and calls Elon Musk a ‘bulldozer’ with ‘superhuman capabilities to bend reality to his will’
By Jason MaDecember 13, 2025
15 minutes ago
InvestingStock
There have been head fakes before, but this time may be different as the latest stock rotation out of AI is just getting started, analysts say
By Jason MaDecember 13, 2025
5 hours ago
Politicsdavid sacks
Can there be competency without conflict in Washington?
By Alyson ShontellDecember 13, 2025
6 hours ago
InnovationRobots
Even in Silicon Valley, skepticism looms over robots, while ‘China has certainly a lot more momentum on humanoids’
By Matt O'Brien and The Associated PressDecember 13, 2025
8 hours ago
Sarandos
Arts & EntertainmentM&A
It’s a sequel, it’s a remake, it’s a reboot: Lawyers grow wistful for old corporate rumbles as Paramount, Netflix fight for Warner
By Nick LichtenbergDecember 13, 2025
12 hours ago
Oracle chairman of the board and chief technology officer Larry Ellison delivers a keynote address during the 2019 Oracle OpenWorld on September 16, 2019 in San Francisco, California.
AIOracle
Oracle’s collapsing stock shows the AI boom is running into two hard limits: physics and debt markets
By Eva RoytburgDecember 13, 2025
13 hours ago

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Economy
Tariffs are taxes and they were used to finance the federal government until the 1913 income tax. A top economist breaks it down
By Kent JonesDecember 12, 2025
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Apple cofounder Ronald Wayne sold his 10% stake for $800 in 1976—today it’d be worth up to $400 billion
By Preston ForeDecember 12, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Success
40% of Stanford undergrads receive disability accommodations—but it’s become a college-wide phenomenon as Gen Z try to succeed in the current climate
By Preston ForeDecember 12, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
The Fed just ‘Trump-proofed’ itself with a unanimous move to preempt a potential leadership shake-up
By Jason MaDecember 12, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
For the first time since Trump’s tariff rollout, import tax revenue has fallen, threatening his lofty plans to slash the $38 trillion national debt
By Sasha RogelbergDecember 12, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Apple CEO Tim Cook out-earns the average American’s salary in just 7 hours—to put that into context, he could buy a new $439,000 home in just 2 days
By Emma BurleighDecember 12, 2025
1 day ago
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.