Dead internet theory
Etymology
The theory took shape in forum posts around 2021, notably on Agora Road’s Macintosh Cafe, and spread from there. In its strong form it is a conspiracy theory alleging deliberate suppression of human activity, which is not supported by evidence. In its weaker, more defensible form it points at a real trend: the rising share of bot traffic and, lately, AI-generated text and images online.
noun phrase · /DED IN-ter-net THEER-ee/
The claim that most online activity is now generated by bots and algorithms rather than real people, leaving the internet effectively "dead."
What it names
It gives a name to a genuine unease — that feeds are increasingly filled with automated, synthetic, or AI-generated content — even as it overstates that into a sweeping conspiracy.
Example
Watching the same generic AI-written replies pile up under every post, I finally understood why people take dead internet theory seriously.
Related idea
Dead internet theory is a broad claim about the internet’s overall authenticity; astroturfing is a documented, narrower practice it draws on — the deliberate use of fake accounts to simulate real human activity.