The degradation of the internet is not limited to the meteoric rise of generative artificial intelligence. According to Dead Internet Theory, a combination of factors is contributing to the gradual erosion of the digital world as we know it. Bots, spam, and artificial content are saturating our feeds, transforming authentic interactions into a minority. In 2024, it was observed that more than half of online traffic came from software that mimics humans, and this trend is only set to worsen. The lure of profit is commercializing the internet, which is conducive to massive manipulation, and calls for a rethinking of current practices to avoid the total extinction of the authentic digital sphere. The internet, as we know it, appears to be in peril, and this evolution is not based solely on advances in artificial intelligence. Various factors, ranging from the promotion of automated online interactions to intentional manipulation of information, threaten the authenticity of digital content. While generative AIs flood the web with fake content, other actors, motivated by financial gain, are transforming the internet into a vast playground for clickbait and propaganda. Let’s analyze these phenomena in more detail. The Invasion of Bots and Artificially Generated ContentWith the emergence of generative AIs like ChatGPT, the modern internet has seen a proliferation of content that is no longer the work of individuals, but of machines. These innovations, while powerful, contribute to blurring the line between human and digital creations. According to a cybersecurity report, more than half of internet traffic in 2024 already came from bots. This trend is making the internet a space where genuine human interaction is dramatically diminishing. The Role of Governments and the Manipulation of InformationBeyond machines, political forces are using these new tools to influence opinions and manipulate online data. The Dead Internet theory posits that governments are using artificial intelligence to manipulate the population. This hypothesis, typical of conspiracy theories, is rooted in a reality where the dissemination of programmed messages creates a digital cacophony, obscuring real human voices. Digital Economy and ClickbaitAnother factor that undermines the authenticity of the Internet comes from the current digital business model. The Internet no longer solely meets the information or entertainment needs of its users. On the contrary, it has been optimized to attract clicks, maximize views, and ultimately generate advertising revenue. This paradigm encourages the spread of sensational or misleading content, filling platforms with messages designed to provoke an immediate reaction from the reader. Solutions for a Healthier Digital FutureFaced with the profound transformation the Internet is undergoing, potential solutions are emerging. For an individual user, this begins with adopting a critical attitude toward online content: questioning what we see and refusing to accept any shocking or surprising information at face value. On a broader scale, a return to more private and closed social networks, such as Discord, could be considered, in order to recreate true human communities, protected from automated intrusions.
