WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - In an effort to tackle one of the internet's most damaging issues, the nonprofit Internet Archive has teamed up with Automattic, the company behind WordPress, to introduce a new plugin called Link Fixer.
The Internet Archive, renowned for preserving the web's collective memory, has expanded its mission with this innovative tool. The plugin integrates directly with the Wayback Machine, the organization's long-standing platform that captures snapshots of web pages for historical reference.
Link Fixer's primary goal is to combat 'link rot', the gradual deterioration of the web as links that once worked begin leading to error pages or disappear entirely.
According to a 2024 Pew Research study, nearly 40% of links that existed in 2013 are no longer active, affecting a wide range of content, from news stories and government reports to Wikipedia entries and social media posts.
The plugin scans WordPress posts for outbound links and checks whether archived versions exist in the Wayback Machine. If no archived versions are found, the plugin automatically creates new snapshots. When a linked page later goes offline, readers are seamlessly redirected to the archived version, ensuring continuity. If the original page comes back online, the plugin switches users back to the live link.
Additionally, the tool archives a site's own posts to safeguard them for the future. With customizable settings, including the frequency of link checks, the plugin is designed to quietly maintain a site's digital health, helping preserve context, credibility, and access in an increasingly fragile online ecosystem.
This partnership between the Internet Archive and Automattic (WordPress) marks a significant step in the ongoing effort to address the problem of link rot and ensure the long-term preservation of valuable online content.
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