The Slow Demise of Hyperlinks: Is Our Internet Becoming a Stationary Landscape? 📉

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Summary:

  1. Changing Nature of the Internet
    The decline of hyperlinks is significantly altering the fundamental structure of the internet, with far-reaching implications for journalism, argues veteran journalist Matt Pearce.

  2. Platform Bias Against Hyperlinks
    Over the past five years, a noticeable bias against hyperlinking has emerged on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, leading to decreased visibility and engagement for posts containing links.

  3. Rise of Algorithmic Recommendations
    As social media platforms increasingly prioritize algorithmic recommendations over traditional hyperlinking, users are exposed to a more stationary internet experience, where information is summarized and presented without encouraging exploration.

  4. Impact on Journalism
    This shift poses challenges for journalists, who have historically leveraged hyperlinks to provide context and reference additional information, potentially undermining the depth and breadth of reporting.

  5. Cultural and Ecosystem Changes
    The evolving landscape blurs the lines between content creators and journalists, as all are adapting to the same digital ecosystem, yet raises concerns about the future of responsive and intelligent journalism.

  6. Call for Reflection
    Pearce highlights the need for awareness of these shifts, as the decline of hyperlinks threatens the foundational principles of the internet and the dissemination of information.

Read more at: Halifax Examiner

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