Is the Dead Internet Theory — Not Just a theory anymore?

Are we witnessing a new online order?

From the once human-dominated internet, a new player has joined the game. Hold on to your keyboards, a new report reveals that in 2022, 47.4% of internet traffic came from automated bots, which is a 5.1% increase over 2021. The same report shows that at 52.6%, human traffic has decreased to its lowest level in eight years. Claims like this, and many other like it, have brought the dead internet theory roaring back with a vengeance and a story to tell.

The Dead Internet Theory

This is the theory that the internet is now plagued by non-human content. With the advancement of automated bots, more and more bland, generic and unoriginal content has been filling the internet with a sea of meaningless words. Imperva’s previously mentioned

Imperva’s 2022 Internet traffic percentage graph

The report’s Bad Bot Classification

• Simple — Connecting from a single, ISP-assigned IP address, this bot connects to sites using automated scripts. This bot doesn’t self-report as a browser.
• Moderate — This more complex bot uses “headless browser” software that simulates browser technology, including the ability to execute JavaScript.
• Advanced — Emulating human user…