The Evolution of Blogging: From Decentralized Web to Centralized Social Media
By
askmike
Baker's choice. Dense with flavour, light on filler.
Summary
The article reflects on the evolution of blogging from the early days of the decentralized web to today's centralized social media platforms. The author reminisces about when personal blogs were common and the internet felt more open, contrasting this with the current landscape dominated by large platforms that keep content and users within their ecosystems. The piece expresses nostalgia for the era of personal blogging and concerns about the loss of individual online spaces in favor of algorithm-driven social media.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledBefore social media became what it is today I used to blog a lot. And I wasn't the only one, many people did.
There was this idea of a decentralized and open web: everyone had their own little space on the web (with a selfhosted blog, or a platform like wordpress or blogger).
The internet looks very different now. People consume (and produce) more on the internet than ever before, but almost all content lives on these big social media platforms designed to keep everything and everyone inside.
You might also wanna read
Rotten.com and the Dark Education of the Early Internet: A 1990s Coming-of-Age Memoir
A reflective, first-person narrative essay about growing up in the late 1990s, centered on a trip to Fry's Electronics to buy a PC. The stor
Kagi Launches 'Small Web' Initiative to Surface Authentic Human Content
Kagi introduces its 'Small Web' initiative to humanize internet search by surfacing content from genuine individuals like personal bloggers,
The Growing Small Web Movement: Non-Commercial Alternatives to the Mainstream Internet
The article discusses the growing "small web" movement, which refers to private websites using ordinary web browsers and servers but free fr
AI-Generated Content and Bots Are Increasingly Dominating Online Spaces
The article discusses the author's realization that the 'dead Internet' phenomenon - where AI-generated content and bots dominate online spa
Consuming the Web Through RSS: A Behind-the-Scenes Perspective on Information Consumption
The article describes the author's experience of consuming web content primarily through RSS feeds rather than visiting websites directly. T
carolinecrampton.com·2mo agoExamining the Dead Internet Theory: AI Bots and the Changing Nature of Online Content
The article explores the 'Dead Internet Theory' - a conspiracy theory suggesting that much of today's internet content is generated by AI bo
