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[rofif]

Where are all the websites and communities?
Now it's all few forums which are heavily divided. Resetera vs Neogaf. Reddit vs 4chan.
Some smaller forums and discord channels are still there but I feel some magic is lost.
And then there is another conspiracy theory that internet is mostly just bots

Dead Internet theory - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Was social media a mistake?

 

[Skyfox]

Yes rofif. Your comments are valid. Have you tried sipping the cool, crisp taste of Coca Cola?

Please review my comment by completing this captcha:

ZZy52

 

[rofif]

Yes rofif. Your comments are valid. Have you tried sipping the cool, crisp taste of Coca Cola?

Please review my comment by completing this captcha:

ZZy52

I drink Diet coke now. I was getting too fat mate... and I love coke

 

[RickSanchez]

Without even watching the videos, i can guess what they are trying to say. So many of the biggest names on the internet used to be so good, and are so bad now.

Google search results were awesome when it first became a thing. It was a great tool to find smaller websites/blogs/forums about useful or interesting information. Then came ads and SEO.

Facebook used to be actually useful for networking with a group of close friends or acquaintances, when the only thing in your feed were posts from them. Then, every corner became filled with ads when corporations started creating facebook accounts.

YouTube was wild and filled with sheer creativity. It wasn't professional content, but it was honest, original, creative, entertaining and sometimes informative content.

Magazine-type websites covering interest areas like gaming, tech, movies, sports, etc made efforts to write deep, informative articles full of original research and considered opinions. Clickbait was not a thing.

Heck even forums like reddit, back when they were still small, were a great way to socialize and discuss over common interests.

Basically, up to the year 2010, things were great. After that, the internet and everything on it, went to shit.

 

[German Hops]

How many bots are there on gaf?

I can only detect EverydayBeast

 

[cireza]

That's the Google Internet Theory actually, nope ?

I can say that Google results have become awful in the last 10 years maybe, and that probably contributes to the overall perception we get.

Have you tried using some other search engines that are not promoting whatever websites actually paid Google ? You can get much more meaningful search results and maybe discover that some small communities do exist in places, but simply cannot compete in terms of getting the best "referencing" in Google.

As far as I am concerned I use DuckDuckGo, and I have been getting much more relevant results ever since. I revert back to Google in the instances when I actually want to scan something super generic, like a product, or listings for shopping.

 

[gaming_again]

5 mins on Reddit has me convinced that Dead Internet Theory is real.

It's mad how recently the internet went to shit. I've been using it's since 1996, and it kept the same energy all the way up to 2014-15. Yet it feels as if it's always been so sterile and corporate and controlled.

2010 Twitter was wild, even.

 

[phant0m]

Where are all the websites and communities?

Was social media a mistake?

1. A lot of them have gone to Discord, which is basically modern IRC. But it’s much more distributed. 2009-era Reddit was amazing — the news would publish something about some sick kid wanting cards and redditors would send him hundreds in the mail. Dozens of stories like that of the community just coming together to do something good. Never see it anymore, at least not at scale on the main page — now it’s all political bullshit, stupid AskReddit/AITA posts and memes.
2. Generally, yes. Less so the “connecting people” bit and more so the money and inability of the general populace to evaluate information sources. Facebook was fine when it was just people that knew each other IRL sharing pictures and whatnot. But you gotta pay for that somehow and in comes the ads and “news”. I firmly believe at this point the world would be better without Facebook, twitter and instagram. Also Donald Trump would not have been elected without Twitter.

 

[bender]

How many bots are there on gaf?

 

[Hudo]

There isn't a universally accepted viewpoint that the internet is worse now compared to the 90s. However, some people might perceive certain aspects of the modern internet as less favorable for various reasons:

1. Information Overload: With the explosion of content and information available online, it can be overwhelming to sift through the sheer volume of data to find accurate and reliable information.
2. Privacy Concerns: As the internet has evolved, concerns about privacy and data security have grown. There's a perception that personal information is more at risk due to increased tracking, targeted advertising, and data breaches.
3. Online Harassment and Trolling: Social media and digital communication platforms have seen a rise in cyberbullying, harassment, and trolling, leading to negative experiences for many users.
4. Commercialization and Ads: The internet has become heavily commercialized. Advertisements are more prevalent, leading to a cluttered online experience for many users.
5. Fake News and Misinformation: The ease of publishing information online has led to the spread of misinformation and fake news, which can impact public perception and decision-making.
6. Censorship and Control: Some argue that there's increased censorship or control over online content by certain entities, which limits free expression and access to information.

However, it's important to note that the internet has also brought numerous positive changes and advancements. Access to information, communication, education, entertainment, and opportunities for business and innovation have expanded drastically. The internet has facilitated global connections and provided platforms for diverse voices to be heard.
Overall, while there are valid concerns about the current state of the internet, it's not universally "worse" than it was in the 90s. It has undergone significant changes, both positive and negative, shaping the way we interact, learn, and conduct our lives.

 

[Freelance Yakuza]

YouTube was wild and filled with sheer creativity. It wasn't professional content, but it was honest, original, creative, entertaining and sometimes informative content.

I was explaining this to a friend
The moment people learned how to make money from the internet (mostly social media) was the moment the originality, honesty and sincerity died