Have you heard the “Internet is Dead?” Well go ahead and add the term to yet another conspiracy theory … or is it?
Originally, the internet was called the information highway and, largely, we thought it was going to organize the world’s information, bring people together, and stop the spread of propaganda. Boy, were the theorists wrong! It has done just the opposite. Clever evil doers now spread misinformation faster than ever and, because of bias-based algorithms, we all live in information silos of our own making.
The internet feels different.
This theory began surfacing in 2021. Today, with the recent introduction of Open AI, the theory seems to have taken yet another giant leap into the dead zone. As I am sure you have noticed, search results recycle the same sites, social media is overrun with trends and bots, and genuine conversations are harder to find. This unease has sparked the Dead Internet Theory, the idea that most of what we see online isn’t made by people anymore, but by bots, algorithms, and AI.
The theory isn’t literally true, I mean how can something without a heartbeat really be dead, but it reflects real concerns: bots shape online chatter, social media AI’s churn out endless content, and their algorithms filter everything for clicks and ads. Compared to the messy, personal, and quirky early web, today’s internet can feel polished, lifeless, redundant, and misleading (dead).
On the flip side you can use the new AI platform, ChatGPT to help you be more decerning about what you read on Google, Twitter, or FB. Just copy the online comment and paste it into Chat and ask it, “Is this real, true or fake.”
For now and maybe not for long, ChatGPT has no agenda and sells nothing, it is kind of like the original internet, just full of information. In seconds, Chat’s bots go out to the web search, youtube, wikipedia, and websites to bring you back an amalgomation of information. It’s really a great tool for learning the facts about people, places, and things (health). I call it Dr. Chat. lol
Still, the original internet isn’t quite “dead.” Independent creators, forums, blogs, and communities continue to thrive, you just have to look past the noise (and Chat can help with that). The real question is whether real people will keep adding their human voices to the mix and will we be decerning about what we read online and believe. Or, will we let automation shape our perspectives and drown out the voices of people?
All I know for sure is, I’m doing my part by writing this weekly blog and if you’re reading it, you’re doing yours. THIS IS A LIVE PERSON.
Stay sane, my friends.
About the Author
Kerry McCoy founded FlagandBanner.com in 1975 with just $400 and a dream, building it from door-to-door flag sales into a multi-million dollar enterprise. With over five decades in the American flag and banner business, her insights into patriotic trends and flag sales patterns come from serving customers nationwide during times of celebration, crisis, and everything in between.
Kerry is also the host of “Up in Your Business with Kerry McCoy” radio show and continues expanding her business empire through Kerry McCoy Enterprises while sharing the entrepreneurial wisdom gained from decades of building the American
