Maintaining an online presence is work /// Yancey Strickler

What happens when people step away? They feel peace, relaxation, and relief. As well as anxiety that this peace and relaxation are coming at a cost (FOMO).

These were the feelings we described in 2019 in "The Dark Forest Theory of the Internet." Now they’re mainstream. 

The dark forests are growing.

The internet is moving toward smaller, more private, more intentional spaces.

Most of today’s dark forests are still built inside products owned and governed by Google, Meta, Salesforce, and other large platforms. They may feel private, but their infrastructure, rules, and long-term existence remain outside your control.