The Internet Archive, the largest digital library globally, is battling with the escalating issue of a problem known as "link rot," the phenomenon of disappearing web pages.
What Happened: The Internet Archive, home to 835 billion web pages, is experiencing a swift decay of its content. A recent study by the Pew Research Center revealed that 38% of web pages that existed in 2013 have disappeared, and 8% of those from 2023 are now missing.
The study also discovered that 54% of Wikipedia pages link to non-existent pages in their references section. This problem is widespread on government and news pages.
On social media platforms, nearly one in five tweets vanish within months, primarily due to account deletions.
Despite the Internet Archive’s attempts to preserve the web through its "Wayback Machine," the task is daunting. The archive fails to capture more complex types of websites, and pages not linked to them may be entirely overlooked.
Compounding the issue, large portions of the internet now exist privately. Social media behemoths like Meta Platforms Inc.'s Facebook and Instagram, and Elon Musk's X, formerly Twitter, have strict viewing restrictions, making archiving challenging.
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Additionally, the emergence of bots that post and interact with posts, known as "sludge," complicates the collection of significant parts of the internet.
Why It Matters: Link rot is a growing problem that affects the longevity of hyperlinks on the internet. Over time, hyperlinks deteriorate and become inactive and inaccessible, creating challenges for users seeking valid and valuable information on the internet.
Tech billionaire Musk has voiced his support for the Internet Archive, calling it a "public good that should exist."
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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