The Internet is Rented Land

It’s Time to Own the House

For most of the modern internet era, creators and brands have been living on borrowed land.

They’ve built massive followings on social platforms. They’ve played the algorithm game, chased engagement, and amassed likes, followers, retweets, and views. In return, the platforms gave them what felt like free traffic. You posted, people saw it. You grew. It worked.

But that era is ending.

As we approach 2025, the fragility of this setup is clearer than ever. Platforms are tightening their grip. Algorithms shift overnight. Organic reach vanishes. One day you’re getting thousands of impressions - next day, crickets. AI agents scrape and repackage your content. Social networks shadowban, throttle, and de-prioritize without notice. And the worst part? You don’t have a say, nor do you have any control.

Because none of it belongs to you.

The internet we’ve grown up with gave us the illusion of ownership. But we’re just tenants in someone else’s system. And as landlords do, the platforms are raising the rent - subtly, but steadily.

That’s why we’re seeing a shift. A movement away from dependence and toward ownership.

And the trusty ol’ email is leading the way.

Owning the Relationship

If you’re a creator, a brand, a community builder, or even just someone with a point of view—you need to own your distribution. That starts with email.

Unlike social media, an email list is yours. You don’t have to pray for impressions. You don’t have to work around algorithms. If someone subscribes to you, they hear from you. Directly.

Platforms like

Substack

are accelerating this shift. They’re not just newsletter tools - they’re modern infrastructure for ownership. They give anyone the power to speak directly to an audience, with none of the noise in between.

But it goes beyond just hitting “send,” because we can just use Gmail for this. These platforms are building ecosystems: tools for growth, monetization, data, and community. They’re giving creators superpowers, so they don’t just own the list, they build businesses on top of it.

From Funnels to Flywheels

Here’s what’s exciting: email flips the funnel.

Most brands start with a website or a social profile and try to drag people there. But when you start with an email address, you reverse that dynamic. You start with attention - and can send it wherever you want.

Want to drive sales? Link it. Want to grow another channel? Promote it. Want to test a new product? Ask directly. Your list becomes the control center.

That’s what makes the shift to email so powerful. It’s not just about avoiding the pitfalls of social media. It’s about rethinking the entire flow of communication and control. When you own the relationship, you own the upside (and this).

The Future Belongs to the Owners

The rented internet isn’t going away. Platforms will always play a role. But depending on them as your primary home is a risky bet - and the smartest builders are starting to hedge.

The internet is fragmenting. Attention is harder to capture. But one thing remains stable: a person’s inbox.

So whether you're writing essays, selling products, building communities, or launching ideas, the question is simple:

Do you want to rent your audience?
Or own it?