Dead Internet Theory

Dead Internet Theory

The dead Internet theory is an online conspiracy theory that asserts that the Internet now consists mainly of bot activity and automatically generated content that is manipulated by algorithmic curation, marginalizing organic human activity. Proponents of the theory believe these bots are created intentionally to help manipulate algorithms and boost search results in order to ultimately manipulate consumers. Furthermore, some proponents of the theory accuse government agencies of using bots to manipulate public perception, stating: "The U.S. government is engaging in an artificial intelligence powered gaslighting of the entire world population." The date given for this "death" is generally around 2016 or 2017.The internet theory has gained traction because much of the observed phenomena is grounded in quantifiable phenomena like increased bot traffic; however, the idea that it is a coordinated psyop has been described by Kaitlin Tiffany, staff writer at The Atlantic, as a "paranoid fantasy", even if there are legitimate criticisms involving bot traffic and the integrity of the internet. Dani Di Placido, Senior Contributor at Forbes, stated "humans are still providing the majority of content and conversation on Twitter, Reddit, Facebook and TikTok—but it seems as though the conspiracy theory could become depressingly close to reality." Robert Mariani described the theory in an article in The New Atlantis as a mix between a genuine conspiracy theory and a creepypasta.

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