I’ve been a bit uninspired with the internet lately.
Social media no longer interests me and when I do occasionally venture on to Twitter (sorry, X) or LinkedIn, it just feels shallow and negative.
Even when I log into Substack (where the Just Write newsletter lives, and which I previously raved about), all I see are posts from conspiracy theorists or far right nationalists. Despite not following or subscribing to their posts.
I think the root of the problem – and my disinterest – stems from a realisation that online consumption is increasingly controlled by algorithms developed by big tech.
Yes, I know, this is nothing new. But it seems to have become acutely obvious in the past year – and I’m not alone in thinking this.
Is analogue back?
The last time I scrolled through the Twitter timeline, I saw several posts from people saying they were leaving the platform. Something I have considered myself.
Then there are reports of a counterrevolution to the dominance of streaming platforms with an increase in the sale of DVDs.
Plus, a recent episode of the Ezra Klein Show (a podcast by the New York Times journalist) discussed the rise of AI and its impact on the internet, stating that “we are slaves to the algorithm”.
This disillusionment with the online world even extends to the business world, with luxury fashion marketplace Matches entering administration. The official reason is a “sharp decline in demand”, linked to inflationary pressures. But could it be that consumers are also tired of spending their lives online?
Writing for humans
My instinct says people are craving more non-digital, human-focused experiences, which means copywriters need to catch up to this change in mindset.
Instead of writing for algorithms, perhaps it’s time to get back to basics? To focus on the human that is reading what we write, and work on honing our creativity to produce original writing.
Humans are wired to detect when something is inauthentic, in the same way that we can sense when something, or someone, is genuine.
And we should use this superpower to our advantage.
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Hayley Maguire 