How Google broke the internet
Topics discussed
Introduction to Ryan Project and the concept of Google Zero
The death spiral of web traffic and the end of the open internet
The pre-Google internet: Walled gardens, message boards, and communities
How Google shaped internet culture and the rise of SEO optimization
The shift from personal blogs to corporate content farms and aggregators
Sponsors: Jevity and Shopify
Public distrust of AI and the race to integrate AI into search and social media
The return of walled gardens and the difficulty of sharing links on modern platforms
Sponsors: Nespresso and LifeLock
Optimism for the future: Subscription models, moral panics, and user agency
Listen ad-free on Castria