More or Less: Behind the Stats
How dead is the internet?
May 17, 2025
The podcast investigates the intriguing concept of the 'dead internet theory', suggesting that bots might dominate online activity. It reveals that over half of internet traffic could be generated by these autonomous programs. Listeners learn about the dual nature of bots—some serve useful purposes, while others engage in harmful activities. The discussion highlights the unseen battle of bots, especially their influence on social media, impacting everything from elections to marketing strategies. Tune in for a fascinating exploration of what really fuels the web!
08:59
AI Summary
AI Chapters
Episode notes
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- The rise of bots significantly impacts internet traffic metrics, misleading users into believing the internet is dying despite ongoing user engagement.
- Bots serve various roles in social media, influencing public opinion and engagement metrics, which raises concerns about authenticity and online interactions.
Deep dives
Understanding Bots and Their Impact
Bots are autonomous software applications that interact with other systems or users on the internet, often performing a range of activities. While many people associate bots with malicious actions, such as denial of service attacks or data theft, not all bots are harmful; for instance, search engine crawlers gather data to improve search results. A significant statistic suggests that more than half of all internet traffic consists of bots, but this figure largely reflects automated requests and not the content users typically engage with. Consequently, the statistic may mislead individuals into thinking the internet is dying, as it encompasses largely unseen activities occurring in the background.
