The Algorithmic Enshittification of Internet Content and Discourse
By
Improvement
If you only eat one bagel today, this is the bagel.
Summary
The article critiques the decline of internet quality, arguing that algorithmic content curation has degraded public discourse and user experience. The author describes this phenomenon as 'enshittification' - where platforms prioritize engagement metrics over user value. The piece contrasts the early internet's blog-centric, human-curated content with today's algorithm-driven 'black boxes' that optimize for virality rather than quality. The author provides personal insights and resources for readers to reclaim a better online experience through intentional content consumption.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledThe internet is changing for the worse (or getting 'enshittified')
We traded blogs for black boxes, now we're paying for it
I miss the old internet
algorithms on the public discourse to illustrate a greater point on the enshittification of the internet
You might also wanna read
Ed Coper's 'Angertainment' examines how social media algorithms fuel outrage and addiction
Ed Coper's new book "Angertainment" examines how social media algorithms exploit human emotions—particularly anger and outrage—to keep users
How AI Search Platforms Are Undermining the Web's Information Ecosystem
The article examines how AI-powered search platforms like Google's AI Overviews are extracting and synthesizing content from creator website
How the clipping economy and algorithms reshaped social media feeds
The article explores how social media feeds have shifted from being driven by user follows and likes to being controlled by opaque algorithm
How the modern internet ecosystem systematically undermines accurate news and journalism
The article argues that the modern internet ecosystem is fundamentally hostile to accurate news and information, comparing it to a deliberat
AI's Erosion of Human Agency and Trust in Digital Spaces
The article explores how AI is creating a "crisis of agency" by eroding human trust and autonomy in digital spaces. Drawing on Max Read's co
AI's Erosion of Human Agency and Trust in the Digital Age
The article explores how AI is creating a "crisis of agency" by eroding human trust and autonomy in online spaces. Drawing on Max Read's con
