In 1995, Ethernet inventor Robert Metcalfe predicted that the Internet would soon go supernova and catastrophically collapse in 1996. His prediction reflected concerns about the rapid growth and potential overloading of the Internet infrastructure at the time. While the predicted collapse did not occur, Metcalfe's foresight highlighted the challenges of managing technological expansion and the need for sustainable development in digital networks.

Robert Metcalfe's prediction of an internet collapse in 1995 captured early skepticism about digital connectivity, inspiring net-era poetry that critiqued the hype surrounding technology. Poets began to explore themes of isolation and virtual existence in their works.