This week on Hashtag History, we will be discussing the Y2K Bug, also known as Y2K Problem or simply Y2K. This refers to a historical incident…that never really happened. At least not to the degree that it was proposed it would. As a recent survey reports, some 46% of people believed that - when the year changed from 1999 to 2000 - all hell would break loose. This was because it was believed that particular computer programs that only allowed for two year digits (for example, simply 99 as opposed to 1999) would instantly stop working when the date descended to 00 at the turn of the year (i.e., computers would not be able to distinguish the year 2000 from the year 1900). And these computer programs went beyond just not being able to operate your Word Perfect document (Haha…another millennial joke). No, these computer programs extended to airline reservations, banking software, utilities, medical equipment, infrastructure, power plants, government programs, nuclear weapon controls, and more. Should all hell break loose, we were looking at a global disaster that would cost somewhere between $300 and $600 billion to remedy! As we all know now in hindsight, nothing particularly noteworthy occurred as the world rang in the year 2000. Sure, some small businesses experienced some computer programming issues…but did airlines and banks come crashing down? No. Whether this is due to the efforts that had been put into place leading up to the event to resolve potential issues (such as President Bill Clinton’s Year 2000 Information and Readiness Disclosure Act) OR if the whole Y2K Bug was just a big hoax, is still debated to this day. Follow Hashtag History on Instagram @hashtaghistory_podcast for all of the pictures mentioned in this episode. Citations for all sources can be located on our website at www.HashtagHistory-Pod.com. You can also check out our website for super cute merch! You can now sponsor a cocktail and get a shout-out on air! Just head to www.buymeacoffee.com/hashtaghistory or head to the Support tab on our website! You can locate us on www.Patreon.com/hashtaghistory where you can donate $1 a month to our Books and Booze Supply. All of your support goes a long ways and we are endlessly grateful! To show our gratitude, all Patreon Supporters receive an automatic 15% OFF all merchandise in our merchandise store, a shoutout on social media, and stickers! THANKS FOR LISTENING! - Rachel and Leah --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hashtaghistory/support