The Dead Internet Theory suggests that much of the internet is now overwhelmingly populated by bots, computer programs, rather than real human users.

According to this theory, much of what we encounter online, may not be as authentic as it seems. What once started as a platform for genuine human interaction has turned into a bot-driven ecosystem. Bots create content, interact with other bots, and simulate large-scale human activity. This raises a key question: can we still trust what we see online? And what does this mean for the future of online spaces, particularly social media?

Bot activity on the internet is not a fringe theory but a well-documented reality. Automated accounts, ranging from simple scripts to sophisticated algorithms, generate content across the web.

These bots can produce blog posts, social media comments, and even entire websites. More alarming, the interactions these bots generate — likes, shares, retweets — are counted alongside real human reactions.

This presents a major problem for content credibility. How much of what we perceive as popular or trending online reflects genuine human interest, and how much is merely inflated by bots?

Advertisers, once keen to reach real people, are unknowingly funding this artificial activity. A significant portion of online ad revenue is funneled into platforms where bots form a large percentage of the user base. These platforms monetize clicks, impressions, and interactions generated by bots, selling this engagement to advertisers who believe they are reaching actual consumers.

The economic model supporting much of the internet is built on inflated, non-human metrics. Advertisers are essentially........

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