Skeptics Shift From Bubble to Fraud

When repeated empirical predictions fail, prominent critics may escalate from arguing a technology is an overhyped 'bubble' to accusing firms of fraud. That escalation changes debate norms: it reframes failed forecasts as moral or legal wrongdoing and shifts attention from empirical evidence to credibility battles. — This pattern matters because it reshapes how the public and regulators respond to technological controversy—escalation to fraud claims can accelerate investigations, polarize media coverage, and weaken constructive critique.