Today, Explained Breaking the internet
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Feb 19, 2025 
Addie Robertson is a Senior Editor at The Verge, and Mark Graham is the Director of the Wayback Machine at the Internet Archive. They dive into the critical issue of digital decay and link rot, exploring how government actions can erase important online information. Discussions reveal the challenges faced by archivists in preserving digital history, the vital role of the Wayback Machine, and the societal implications of losing access to foundational data. They highlight the fragility of web resources and the urgent need for reliable archives in an evolving digital landscape.
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Government Website Purging
- The Trump administration purged government websites, including information on climate change and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- This data purging was often done quietly and later addressed through lawsuits.
Link Rot and Digital Decay
- The disappearing websites highlight a larger internet problem called "link rot" or "digital decay."
- This decay occurs when web pages vanish or become harder to find due to URL changes or intentional removal.
Website Commercialization
- CNET deleted older articles to improve search engine optimization, prioritizing current content visibility.
- Other websites exploit dead links for profit, hijacking them for their own content and credibility.