Impolite websites
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There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened.
Douglas Adams
It's time for another rant about the web today. We love websites. We host websites. We like websites that are fast, standard compatible, accessible and content rich. "Build the web you want to see" we claim.
Yet. This.
Cookie consents cluster
Cookie banners require many more clicks to decline than to accept. The "reject all" button is small, grey, hidden behind a "manage preferences" link. EVEN WORSE: On the next visit, the banner reappears. Maybe more a EU problem. Hopefully solved soon.
234 marketing partners
Hundreds of "legitimate interest" partners, obscure data brokers and ad-tech vendors. Sure.
Spies spy anyway
Consent or not, the tracking pixels and the fingerprinting runs anyway. IP address, clicks and keystrokes are all captured. Thank you uBlock my old friend.
Ad-to-content ratio
Ever tried to Google a recipe? The ingredient list is under a header ad, an interstitial, two in-content banners, a sticky footer ad, and a sidebar of sponsored content. Thank you AdBlock my old friend.
Clickbait
Sensational headlines optimized for emotional reaction and clicks. Often content does not even deliver on the premise.
SEO-optimized copy
Headings repeat the target keyword five times. FAQs answer questions no human would ever ask. Who cares? The page ranks.
Inaccessibility
Low-contrast text, tiny tap targets, unlabeled form fields, missing alt text.
Bloat
Website weight keeps growing. A simple news article can transfer 40 MB or more, because why not.
CPU-expensive computation
Heavy JavaScript, scroll hijacking and similar gimmicks slow pages down and drain laptop batteries.
In closing
The dead Internet theory is a concept that asserts that the Internet consists primarily of bot activity and automated content manipulated by algorithmic curation.
This already happened? Websites could be fast and useful. But whatever. Old man yelling at clouds. Will AI make it worse or better? Maybe both. Will AI replace the internet? Maybe only sad for our business.
More reading
- The website obesity crisis (2015)
- The 49MB Web Page (2026)
Credits
Illustration by Claude Design. It knows the web. Note the artistic transparent margin on the right.