Steve Krug, the usability expert best known for writing "Don't Make Me Think," is sounding deeply pessimistic about the state of the internet in 2026. Krug helped shape the idea that websites should feel intuitive and easy to use, but he now appears alarmed by what that design philosophy has produced over time.
According to the report, Krug says social media is the worst thing to happen in the last 40 years. That blunt assessment marks a sharp contrast with the earlier internet era, when usability and reduced friction were often seen as clear progress for users and businesses alike.
Krug's 2000 book became one of the defining guides to modern web design, arguing that people should not have to struggle to understand how a site works. Now, however, his concerns suggest that making online experiences ever more seamless may also have helped create systems that are harder to escape, question, or slow down.
The story frames Krug as moving toward the camp that is skeptical of a completely frictionless internet. His comments reflect a broader debate in technology: whether the same design principles that made the web more accessible also helped fuel the rise of addictive platforms and a more troubling online culture.
