About HumansOnlySearch

The Dead Internet Theory

The Dead Internet Theory, which emerged around 2021 on online forums, posits that much of the internet—especially after 2016 or 2017—has become dominated by bot activity and automatically generated content rather than organic human interactions. Originally a conspiracy theory suggesting government or elite manipulation to control public opinion, it has evolved. In 2025, with the explosion of AI-generated content, many now see a more realistic version: over half of new web articles are AI-produced, bot traffic exceeds human traffic (around 51% automated in recent reports), and social media is increasingly filled with synthetic posts, images, and engagements. Figures like Sam Altman (OpenAI CEO) and Alexis Ohanian (Reddit co-founder) have publicly acknowledged elements of this shift, noting the proliferation of AI-run accounts and content.

This "dead" aspect refers to the loss of authentic human creativity, debate, and connection—the vibrant, unpredictable web of the early days replaced by algorithm-driven slop designed for engagement farming rather than genuine expression.

Why Preserving Human Content Matters

The internet is being rapidly diluted by AI-generated material. As of late 2025, studies show that more than 50% of newly published articles are AI-created, with bot-driven traffic surpassing human activity. This flood erodes the quality and authenticity of information, creating echo chambers of synthetic content that mimics humanity but lacks true depth, emotion, or originality.

Preserving real human connection is vital: authentic content fosters empathy, diverse perspectives, innovation, and trust in ways AI cannot replicate. HumansOnlySearch exists to fight back against this trend, helping users rediscover the human-crafted internet worth preserving.

How HumansOnlySearch Works

This tool serves as a simple gateway to major search engines with built-in filters to prioritize human-authored results.

• Click Web Search or Image Search.
• "No AI" mode: Recent results without AI summaries; images exclude common AI-generated content.
• "Pre-2022" mode: Limits to before 2022 (avoids post-ChatGPT AI explosion).
• "Pre-Dead Internet" mode: Strictest — pre-2017 content only.

All filters are applied automatically. Image searches always use Google for strongest anti-AI results.

Our Filters and Estimated Success Rate

Date restrictions exclude 80-90% of recent AI-generated pages. Negative keywords reduce AI images by ~70-80%. Built and maintained by one person passionate about keeping the human internet alive.

Conservative Analysis of Filter Effectiveness

Based on 2025 studies showing that over 50% (and up to 74% in some reports) of new web content is AI-generated, here's a conservative estimate of our filters' effectiveness:

• AI Slop (Generated Text Content): In date-restricted modes (Pre-2022 and Pre-2017), we conservatively estimate 90%+ effectiveness in filtering out AI slop, as widespread AI generation began post-2022. In "No AI" mode, AI summaries are fully removed, but up to 50% of results may still include AI-generated content from recent pages.
• AI Images: Negative keywords (e.g., -ai, -generated) target labeled AI content, providing conservatively 60-70% effectiveness. Untagged or cleverly described AI images may still appear, especially as AI search evolves and reduces traditional keyword logic reliability.
• AI Summaries and Advertisements: When searching via Google, we automatically use a clean “web-only” view that strips away all AI-generated overviews/summaries and removes most advertisements. This delivers conservatively 90% cleaner, ad-reduced, human-focused results with no AI intrusions at the top of the page.

These are conservative estimates derived from current data and tool behaviors; actual results may vary based on query and engine. We continue to monitor and refine for better human-centric searching.

Building an AI-Free Experience: The Irony and Reality

To create this AI-free internet experience, I've had to leverage AI tools for assistance in coding and development—ironically, because the volume of work involved in building and refining a tool like this is immense, and as a solo developer without significant funds to invest or hire help, it's the only practical way to get it off the ground quickly and efficiently. The end product, however, remains entirely rule-based and human-directed, with no AI involved in the search process itself. It's a necessary compromise in a world where AI is ubiquitous, but one that ultimately serves the goal of reclaiming space for genuine human content.

Vision for the Future: The World Wide Human Web

If HumansOnlySearch gains enough support—through donations, user growth, or community involvement—I envision expanding this into something bigger: a "World Wide Human Web" (WWHW). This could be a dedicated network or platform where all content is verified as human-created, fostering a parallel internet free from AI dilution. It would prioritize authentic connections, creativity, and knowledge sharing, potentially including tools for content verification, community curation, and more. With your help, we could turn this small search tool into the foundation for a truly human-centric digital space.

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