{
  "id": 1491627,
  "title": "The internet is becoming more stressful and unlikeable — with AI slop and data leaks to blame",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/the-internet-is-becoming-more-stressful-and-unlikeable-with-ai-slop",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-08-17T13:08:34.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TechRadar",
    "slug": "techradar",
    "url": "https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/the-internet-is-becoming-more-stressful-and-unlikeable-with-ai-slop-and-data-leaks-to-blame"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A recent survey by Incogni has revealed that internet users are increasingly becoming frustrated and anxious while using the web. The primary reasons cited for this stress are AI-generated content, commonly known as 'AI slop,' and data leaks. Many individuals are experiencing anxiety over the potential exposure of their personal data, with 63% of those surveyed stating that this fear causes them anxiety when using the internet.\n\nThe survey, which polled 1,000 internet users, found that 56% of Gen X and 55% of Millennials believed their data would be breached or exposed at some point. This belief in inevitable data exposure has become so normalized that only 11% of respondents thought there was a low likelihood of their data being breached.\n\nAnother significant source of stress is the growing prevalence of AI-generated content on social media platforms. The bots, or AI creators, often share AI-generated content or scrape content from the web and repost it, often leading to a loss of trust in the authenticity of online information. Almost half of the respondents (48%) admitted they are now less sure of what is real on the internet, with 27% saying this made them spend less time online, feeling fatigued or fatigued by AI-generated content.\n\nThe survey also revealed that 58% of respondents deleted a social media account or messaging app due to stress, anxiety, or privacy concerns. While some respondents (12%) found AI-generated content to make information more accessible and creative possibilities exciting, the majority of respondents (48%) expressed a desire for less AI-generated content, citing it as a reason for their decreased use of the internet.\n\nThe ultimate effect of these factors is a growing trend of internet users seeking to reduce their online presence. Moreover, when asked if they would pay for an internet where tracking and algorithms did not exist, 30% of respondents indicated they would, although this preference was significantly influenced by income levels.",
  "summary": "AI content and data leaks are driving people away from the internet, with some people willing to pay for an internet without algorithms or data harvesting.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}