Author proposes credibility-focused internet institutions to address online information problems
Updated
Updated · TIME · May 7
Author proposes credibility-focused internet institutions to address online information problems
1 articles · Updated · TIME · May 7
The proposal urges content creators, social media platforms and users to help make credibility, accuracy and context competitive advantages over attention-driven recommendation systems.
It argues current algorithms reward clicks, watch time, outrage and certainty rather than truth, producing misinformation, polarisation and what the author calls an attention arms race.
Drawing on the decline of 1890s yellow journalism, the author says audiences are tiring of AI slop and manipulation, creating an opening for trusted digital institutions and business models.
As AI floods the internet with 'slop,' will a new premium market for human-made, credible content emerge?
Can new laws and user fatigue force tech giants to abandon their profitable, outrage-driven algorithms?
The 1890s newsboys' strike showed consumer power. What would its modern equivalent look like against today's tech giants?
Rebuilding Trust in a Fractured Web: WikiCred 2026 and Global Efforts to Combat Online Misinformation
Overview
By 2026, trust in online content has sharply declined, with only 41% of Americans believing what they see online is accurate. This crisis stems from a long decline in confidence in national institutions, the rise of social media algorithms that deepen divisions, and a surge in AI-generated misinformation that blurs reality. These factors have fueled political polarization, economic anxiety, and risks to business reputations. In response, initiatives like WikiCred 2026 and the Internet Society’s research grants focus on strengthening human oversight, promoting ethical AI, supporting volunteers, and funding global research to rebuild a more trustworthy and inclusive internet.