Maria Farrell

Maria Farrell is a tech policy writer and author making the case to rewild the internet. Her work explores how we might restore ecological diversity to digital spaces and reduce the technological monoculture that currently dominates online life.

Farrell's 2024 essay "We Need to Rewild the Internet," published in NOEMA, went viral and was selected for Best American Science & Nature Writing 2025. The piece crystallizes her central argument: that the internet's current structure mirrors ecological collapse, with a handful of platforms controlling vast digital territories. Her forthcoming book, Rewild the Internet (2026), expands this framework into a comprehensive exploration of internet governance and the possibilities for change. As a veteran of internet governance debates, Farrell brings deep institutional knowledge to questions that often remain abstract in public discourse.

For audiences, Farrell offers a fresh lens on familiar problems. Rather than treating platform dominance as inevitable, she invites listeners to consider what a genuinely diverse internet might look like and what structural changes could get us there. Her work bridges technical policy discussions and broader cultural concerns, making complex governance questions accessible without sacrificing rigor. Whether addressing policy makers, technologists, or general audiences interested in the internet's future, Farrell provides concrete frameworks for understanding why digital monoculture matters and what alternatives might exist.