small web
Roughly 70% of internet operations run through three companies: Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure. The existing infrastructure carries a fragility that most people only notice after an operational failure. The AWS outage on October 18, 2025, triggered a chain reaction that affected several well-known platforms, including Reddit, Slack, Snapchat, and Epic Games’s Fortnite.
The Attention Economy
This situation goes beyond technology, touching economic and cultural dimensions as well. Google evolved from a search engine into an advertising powerhouse that now dominates much of the sector. Its business model depends on users remaining active on its platforms, enabling continuous data collection and targeted advertising.
SEO has evolved into an independent industry within today’s digital ecosystem. The system often prioritizes algorithm-optimized content—clickable headlines, strategically placed keywords, and structures designed for ranking in search engines—rather than genuinely informative or meaningful content.
The result? The internet increasingly offers users a standardized online experience, shaped by commercial incentives and predictable behavioral patterns.
Changing Course
Some initiatives are working to move the web toward something more human and authentic.
1. Marginalia Search An open-source search engine focused on surfacing non-commercial content. It prioritizes personal websites, blogs, and independent sites that exist outside conventional corporate networks.
2. Wiby A platform designed to surface simple, independent websites that are often ignored by mainstream search engines.
3. Kagi A subscription-based search engine, typically priced between $10 and $25 per month, offering an ad-free experience with a focus on privacy and content quality. Its model reduces conflicts of interest between users and advertisers.
4. IndieWeb A community dedicated to building a web controlled by individuals rather than corporations. The philosophy encourages users to publish on their own websites first, then syndicate content elsewhere.
5. Self-hosting Running your own blog, website, or digital platform on personal hardware or privately managed servers. This gives creators more ownership and control, reducing dependency on third-party platforms.
The internet began as a decentralized network. Recovering that original vision requires intentional choices from users—from you.