The open web isn't dying, we're killing it

9 hours ago

Anil Dash's article highlights threats to the open web from large companies exploiting open systems.
The enclosure of the web predates AI, driven by winner-takes-all dynamics, convenience, and monopoly power.
Users contributed to the decline by choosing platforms for convenience, rebuilding social graphs in private databases, and promoting closed spaces.
Convenience from platforms accelerated centralization, making openness seem less valuable than ease of use.
The open web's sustainability was undermined by reliance on advertising, which reshaped systems around advertisers' needs.
Neglect by users and organizations, such as not supporting open tools economically, played a role in the web's decline.
Building a better web requires accepting trade-offs like less convenience, paying for services, and prioritizing user agency.
The open web needs active participants—maintainers, contributors, and donors—to thrive, moving beyond a consumer mindset.

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