This is The Guardian.

Today, why does the internet feel like it's getting worse?

And what could you do about it? Let's try an experiment together.

Get your phone, open Instagram, start scrolling.

Okay, I'm doing it now.

My name is Maca Cole.

Thank you, I.

Yeah, I can't.

Wow. Incredible. So first up, I've got a host from Michaela Cole. Instagram says I might be interested in. It's one thing when you see pictures, I don't go to fashion shows along. So for me to see this in 3D. Okay, I'm not following her. I probably should be. Now there's six suggested reels. Instagram says I might like. Five of them are food related, by the way. One is about renovating a tiny apartment. I'm sorry, but I'm taking title of Queen of Maximizing Space. Because this girlie fit a fully functioning non-sweet into a 1.8 by 1 meter cupboard. Sponsored post from a brand I've never heard of. Sponsored post from a ticketing company. Real from an influencer I don't follow. Suggestion that I follow Bernie Sanders. We need your help. Big time. Sure, fair enough. I think David Arbor is innocent. Her being transgender is not. I'm getting up to last night in Blackpool. Puked in a slushy machine.

Then, boy, good morning, my spicy tosset. Another ad from an underwear company. More food reels. Another interior person. When you walk into Liddle? You're going to live with me now. I'm just going to say it. Don't have them calling you a rose when you're the whole damn garden. Okay, finally, the first post from an actual real-life friend that I follow and love,

followed by a deeply annoying alist celebrity, a fitness post, and so on and so forth.

As if it wasn't abundantly clear, Instagram, as it is is now isn't the thing I originally signed up for,

which was way back when, a way to follow my friends, some acquaintances, a sprinkling of enemies,

and share a single photo diary of what we were all up to.

I get it. Companies evolve. Audiences change.

But with every tweaked iteration, it doesn't seem to be improving.

In fact, it feels infinitely more rubbish.

With Instagram burying what you want,

under an avalanche of content you didn't ask for or need.

And according to one theory, it's not just Instagram.

It's pretty much every major internet platform that has embedded in our lives.

Google, Spotify, Amazon, Uber.

...