In this web content, the author discusses the challenges of understanding what is happening online in the current internet landscape. They highlight the fragmentation and lack of a clear replacement for social media platforms, as well as the difficulty in determining what is truly popular and viral. The author mentions the example of TikTok, where the most popular videos are often unexpected and unrelated to current events. The article also explores the impact of this fragmented internet on information verification and the potential for misinformation to spread. The author emphasizes the importance of understanding online trends and issues that actually have significance in order to avoid being misled or wasting time.
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2023/12/internet-information-trends-virality-tracking/676888/