- COZY WEB: private, gatekeeper-bound spaces of the internet that are uninformal, untracked, and messily human and haven’t been infiltrated by bots or algorithms
- Spaces in the internet where it’s possible to be human d/t “the non-indexed, non-optimized, and non-gamified environment” (Yancey Strickler, The Dark Forest Theory of the Internet) that these spaces tend to have
- EX: messaging apps, emails, cloud storage services, private groups
- This idea builds off of the “dark forest” theory of the web
- DARK FOREST THEORY: a place that appears to be devoid of life, but only because the animals must stay quiet and in hiding to prevent attracting predators
- The predators in this case are “the advertisers, tracking bots, clickbait creators, attention-hungry influencers, reply guys, and trolls. It is unsafe to reveal yourself to them in any authentic way.”
- Why is it unsafe to reveal your authentic self to these predators? Because they can use your information against you for potential harm
- The predators in this case are “the advertisers, tracking bots, clickbait creators, attention-hungry influencers, reply guys, and trolls. It is unsafe to reveal yourself to them in any authentic way.”
- DARK FOREST THEORY: a place that appears to be devoid of life, but only because the animals must stay quiet and in hiding to prevent attracting predators
- It’s referred to as cozy because in some respects it is more private compared to places like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
- Spaces in the internet where it’s possible to be human d/t “the non-indexed, non-optimized, and non-gamified environment” (Yancey Strickler, The Dark Forest Theory of the Internet) that these spaces tend to have
- Domestic cozy? → “It’s the digital realm of ‘Domestic Cozy’ Gen-Z vibes. Casual, comfy, and not trying to kick up a fuss.”
- Best seen in private online spaces shared with friends rather than strangers where there’s no need to “perform,” so to speak
- The antithesis to “premium mediocre”
| Domestic cozy | Premium mediocre |
|---|---|
| Private | Public |
| Lack of need to perform | Pander to expectations of the spectator |
| Discord, Tumblr, Minecraft, Neocities | Instagram, Tinder, Twitter, Facebook |
| Relaxed | Stressed |
| Appears different with each iteration | Looks the same everywhere – think “Material” |
| “No clue what’s going on but whatever” | “I must know what’s happening at all times” |
| Gen Z | Millennial |
Related
The Dark Forest and the Cozy Web Domestic Cozy The Dark Forest Theory of the Internet | by Yancey Strickler | Mediume