AI

What is the Dead Internet Theory? What it is. The Dead Internet Theory (DIT) claims most of today’s web activity—posts, comments, even “people”—is actually bots/AI, and that big platforms (sometimes governments) coordinate this to steer opinion and suppress organic human speech. The meme spread widely after a 2021 forum post by “IlluminatiPirate” and coverage in The Atlantic. Sources: Wikipedia summary; The Atlantic explainer. Why it feels plausible. Independent telemetry shows bot traffic is massive. Imperva’s 2025 Bad Bot Report says automated traffic surpassed human traffic in 2024 (~51% of all web requests), with “bad bots” alone ~37%. That supports the “lots of bots” part—not a grand conspiracy. Source: Imperva 2025 Bad Bot Report. ...

Meta, led by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is undergoing significant transformations in its content moderation strategies, seemingly aiming to return to its “free expression” roots. These changes include the removal of third-party fact-checking, adopting a Community Notes model akin to Elon Musk’s X, and lifting restrictions on mainstream political topics. Additionally, Meta’s leadership shifts, such as appointing conservative advocate Joel Kaplan as Chief Global Affairs Officer, suggest a strategy to align more with conservative values, likely in a bid to strengthen ties with figures like Donald Trump. This move draws mixed reactions, with some lauding the company’s shift towards freedom of expression, while others critique it as a calculated business decision to curry political favor amidst regulatory challenges. ...