The
Internet
Sucks
This is what happens when you play it safe.
Editor’s Note: This essay is a based on a keynote presentation Dan gave at Web Summit in Lisbon.
The internet used to be an idea. That’s how it launched. It manifested the promise of infinite knowledge, connection, and invention. It was going to free up our time, make things easier and faster, and it was going to give us flying cars.
We turned the magic of the internet into the mundanity of office space. Instead of a fantasy zone, the world wide web is the mechanism that facilitates nearly all of our day-to-day activity. It is the DMV of our life. You pay your water bill there while you scroll through boxy reruns of Seinfeld. If you squint hard enough, it even looks like a DMV: beige walls underneath flickering lights with cardboard boxes everywhere, storing everything.
We used to surf the web;
now we're the fish
Dan Gardner
Founder & Exec Chair of Code and Theory & Founder, ON_Discourse
Dan Gardner
Founder & Exec Chair of Code and Theory & Founder, ON_Discourse
This is the first problem: its omnipresence is draining the web of intimacy, personalization, and emotional connection. The internet that tracks every single click of my mouse is the same internet that thinks that one visit to a website thinks I need to be reminded about it forever. Despite all of this data, the internet is just a gigantic spreadsheet that is stubbornly uninterested in who we are or what we truly need. Ubiquity is killing wonder.
The second problem is that the internet is obsessed with optimization. We keep trying to tweak our way to another dollar. AI has accelerated this trend, emphasizing future-proofing over original thinking. Vast industries have distilled the wave of energy and enthusiasm of the early web into homogeneous experiences. Everything looks and feels and works the same way. Marketing, and more recently entertainment, have reduced down to optimization and automation. It may feel safe but it stifles creativity and risks irrelevance.
If this is the primary focus, we will see a race to the bottom for many businesses, Look no further to the media landscape as an example, which is crumbling in front of our eyes. This is just the first example of a long decline of an industry where we lost creativity with the wrong focus. This wave will continue unless we change our focus.
How To Fix It
There is hope. The internet is still young, unfinished, and teeming with potential. In order to reach it, we have to go from future-proofing and efficiency to forward-thinking.
Instead of refining the past, we must design for tomorrow’s opportunities. To do so, we must shift our focus from information technology to emotional technology—tools and experiences that foster meaningful relationships, evoke wonder, and embrace the right kind of friction.
Here are
three core principles
that will
bring back the wonder.
1.
Embrace Friction
Friction isn’t a flaw; it’s a feature. While efficiency clears the path, friction creates memories. Think about the tactile joy of flipping a vinyl record or the anticipation of opening a handwritten letter. Digital experiences today are so frictionless they’ve become forgettable.
By designing intentional moments of friction, brands can create meaningful engagement. For instance, music streaming services could reintroduce elements of discovery—like liner notes or curated album experiences—to recapture the magic of analog listening.
I was reminded the other day about the ephemeral nature of everything. I remember eagerly anticipating the release of a Vogue magazine in the 90’s. My endless wait for the release would make me obsess over the issue. When it finally arrived, I would read it front to back several times over. Do you remember that?
People don’t have these feelings anymore, but they can come back. This does not require a regression in our music streaming interfaces by forcing gated monthly content. I just want you to focus on the feeling and then think about modern experiences that can bring that feeling back.
2.
Design for Wonder
Utility fulfills a need, but wonder creates desire. Digital experiences should spark curiosity, evoke emotion, and invite exploration. Travel platforms, for example, should shift from a transactional approach to one that allows users to envision their adventures, inspiring a sense of excitement and possibility. With gen-ai, why can’t I have a sense of memory before I travel that can mimic the memories I have after I travel. (Photo galleries just don’t cut it.)
3.
Build for Relationships
The internet excels at creating connections, but relationships require depth. Relationships are ongoing, personalized, and rooted in trust. Consider the luxury shopping experience—it's not just about purchasing a product but about feeling a sense of belonging. E-commerce platforms must find ways to replicate the intimacy of in-store interactions. Social networking became social media. We went from the promise of actually being connected to another consumption platform. It seems like there is a gap to be connected when in a post-Covid world it’s obvious we seek these human needs.
A Final Vision
The internet doesn’t just need to be used; it needs to be loved. Not the same love we may feel for crack, but more by the way we love a great bottle of wine - enriched, not addicted. By leveraging AI and emerging technologies, we can create customer experiences that are not only functional but emotionally resonant. This shift from transactional to transformational digital experiences can drive engagement, retention, and loyalty.
Leaders who embrace this challenge will attract talent, win clients, and build organizations that thrive in an era of constant disruption. The question isn’t whether the internet can evolve—it’s whether we have the imagination to shape its future.
So, where do you live? In a world of mundane digital tasks—or one full of wonder, connection, and possibility?
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