Dead Internet Theory began life as an online conspiracy theory that spread from time to time. That suggests that most of what is on the Internet is not created by humans, but is that possible and does it matter?
Overview of Dead Internet Theory
The Internet is a busy place with billions of interactions, millions of pieces of content, and data about an astonishing number of social media accounts and people.
The Dead Internet Theory (which, let’s be honest, is actually a hypothesis) is the idea that most, if not all, of the content and interactions found on the Internet are not human-initiated. All of this is generated by algorithms and AI software, and the internet is not really a place for humans. In fact, people are in the minority online without even realizing it.
Why is it important? Consider the impact of the Internet on modern society. It’s the main way people get information. Misleading information about medical and political issues is spread with little or no oversight. Since the Internet is such an influential and central technology to modern human society, it is natural that the fact that most of it is fake is a major concern.
Is this even possible?
Whether you think there’s any truth to that theory or not, is it possible? If we had gone back just a few years ago, the answer would have been a confident “no,” but in today’s day and age, it’s completely It’s plausible. The technique of making entire cloth out of virtually anything is common, so you should be skeptical of everything you see on the internet.
AI technology can conjure up any image, it’s easy to create a human face that doesn’t exist, and AI systems can naturally converse with humans in ways that fool many people. So even if it’s not true that much of the internet is controlled and created by non-living entities, some of it certainly is, and as these technologies advance, the machines on the net The proportion of content created is likely to continue to increase. growing up.
What if that was true?
For the sake of argument, if that theory actually turns out to be true, what does that mean in a practical sense? We’ve already seen how they can do everything from manipulation to perpetuating fraud and misinformation. One study by cybersecurity firm Cheq estimates that as many as 12% of X’s users could be bots. In 2019, Facebook removed a staggering 3 billion fake accounts, which undoubtedly included a significant number of bots.
There is no doubt that algorithms, AI, and many other autonomous software variations have the potential to have a real and profound impact on human life on Earth. Whether people become radicalized on social media, algorithms create echo chambers, or non-existent people influence real people, a complete takeover could send human society down a different historical path. There is sex.
Bots are part of the future of the web
The dead internet theory is one of the more persistent conspiracy theories because it speaks to very specific fears and concerns. The thing is, it’s perfectly reasonable to be wary of everything you see and hear on the web when it comes to human works. There’s no way to really know if a human wrote this or if I even exist. Of course, this is not new in philosophical circles, but it is now a very real problem.
In effect, the world’s internet will be populated by highly intelligent, autonomous, artificial agents. Whether it’s an untethered AI running on a server in the middle of the high seas by ocean conservation enthusiasts or a marketing AI run by your favorite fast food company, it’s time to bring this genie back into the light. You can’t put it back inside. Dead Internet theories may or may not fail in their original form. There is no convincing evidence either way. But we may be witnessing the birth of a version that everyone will have to live with.
