_blank vs _self

A link does more than point somewhere.
It decides what happens to attention next.

Opening a link in the same tab (_self) preserves continuity. The reader leaves, but the session remains intact. History is linear. Context is remembered.

Opening a link in a new tab (_blank) fragments that continuity. Attention splits. The originating page remains open, waiting, while focus moves elsewhere. The system now has two surfaces instead of one.

Neither behavior is neutral.

_blank favors systems that benefit from fragmentation:

• ad networks
• social feeds
• affiliate flows
• sites optimized for bounce, not return

It increases surface area. More tabs. More chances for interception.

_self favors commitment:

• one thread of attention
• one decision at a time
• fewer exit points

The user can still choose to open a new tab. Right-click exists. Long-press exists. Power users already know how to branch.

Forcing _blank does not add choice.
It removes it.

From a laundering perspective, the handoff matters.

Where attention goes next determines what data is attached, what context is lost, and who benefits from the transition.

Most laundering does not happen in the content itself.
It happens at the moment of transfer.