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I think you misunderstand what I mean when I say: "the open web is dead". Its reach is dead.

Previously, the "open web" was all there was, before the online walled gardens. Users were trained to get information that way. Now that traffic's been captured by the walled gardens that optimize for engagement. There's a reason Google Reader died, Google stated it: "declining use and relevance".

Going viral is essential to growing an audience. TikTok, YouTube, and Twitter offer that. The open web doesn't.



> Previously, the "open web" was all there was, before the online walled gardens.

This is revisionist bullshit. Before Facebook et al AOL was the major walled garden. After AOL's star began to fade they and everyone else focused on becoming "homepages" with integrated search. They even provided helpful search toolbars! Social media is just the latest walled garden on the web.

Don't pretend the majority of web users have ever been bravely exploring the corners of every dark nook of the web. The majority has always been on some curated site with little deviation.


My comment is just as germane to your clarification of your position. If you were to say that the open web has been overshadowed or marginalized, I would concur.


No, growing an audience of millions of people might necessitate going viral. Plenty of people are happy to have a very small, but tight knit community in their own little corner of the open web.




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