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From slow connections to social media: exploring internet nostalgia

September 2024 | dataprovider.com portfolio

Loura Kruger-Zwart

Loura Kruger-Zwart

— 6 min read
From slow connections to social media: exploring internet nostalgia
Photo by and machines / Unsplash

Generative AI and the ever-growing reach of social media are among the elements fueling the ‘internet nostalgia’ conversation. Did we really have more fun on the internet 10, 20 years ago? Is that enjoyment a relic of the past, or do we just need to be reminded where to find it? Read our insight to learn more about this nostalgic sentiment and how to reclaim a bit of that online magic.

What is internet nostalgia?

There’s a conversation going on in cyberspace, on social media and forums, in news columns and opinion pieces, about something called internet nostalgia—a longing for the ‘old internet’ and the way online life used to be. But what are we really missing? Is it the charm of slow connections and bad graphics, or having small digital communities, or just the lack of social media platforms? Is the old internet really gone, or have we just forgotten where to find it? Read on to dive into what internet nostalgia is really about, what the alternatives might be, and how to navigate today’s internet for a nostalgic (and daresay, good) time. 

Things used to be so different, but what’s so good about the old internet?

That’s certainly true, the changes are clear. The internet of the late 1990s and early 2000s had the character of an informal Wild West you could visit now and then, in contrast to the expectation of being online we face now. Not only has access to the internet been vastly expanded, an internet connection has become basically essential. It’s a necessity for many kinds of work, most kinds of entertainment, and, increasingly, for social relationships too. The rise of smartphones has been accompanied by cheap data on the go. This means we no longer have to wait to get home to go online, and we no longer necessarily sit behind a big, navigable screen to browse the internet. 

It makes sense, then, that our association with being online has changed: in the same way that a hobby without balance can become a chore, what used to be more of a down-time activity is now an integral—if not mandatory—part of our days. Regulation of advertising, business, access, and social media has replaced the ‘lawlessness’ of before. We’ve traded in anonymous and ‘purposeless’ web surfing for logged-in and targeted browsing, as we seek convenience, speed, and quick engagement. 

Four screenshots of old websites from the early 2000s
Figure 1: A snapshot of websites from in the early 2000s, via webdesignmuseum.org.

Silver linings and double-edged swords

As with most things, there is good in the bad and bad in the good. One of the main differences between the internet then and now is how we get information.

You needed to visit a different website and different types of websites for every single thing you did online. You’d stop at a forum for advice, a business website for contact information, a maps site for directions, find a city guide, organize travel, get recipes, recommendations, games, news—these things rarely overlapped. Blogs were huge, creating communities around certain topics, and there was much less of the ‘corporate’ influence we see now, of companies running websites. Rather, the online sphere felt decentralized and much more like it was just run by individuals or interest groups. Cooking and recipes blogs might be one of the most popular blog-style internet spaces that are still often visited, and, even then, that ‘jump to recipe’ button is a quick click most of the time. While visiting all these sites and surfing around online might’ve been entertaining, getting information was a time-consuming endeavor before many of these functionalities became integrated on a few platforms. With Google Maps, for example, we can now get our maps, recommendations, reviews, and directions all in one place. 

How social media impacts digital lifestyles

It seems we’ve reached the other end of the spectrum, resulting in a new set of frustrations. One of the major complaints from internet-nostalgists is the contemporary centrality of social media. It seems like everything revolves around the big social media platforms that have changed the way we use the internet. Recommendations, discussions, opinions, purchases, entertainment, updates, social connections… does everything happen between Meta, TikTok, and Reddit now? In the earlier days of Facebook and Instagram, most users were also ‘creators,’ posting for their friends and network, whereas it's more likely now that a user simply consumes the endless-scroll of curated content from social media professionals. 

The dependency on legacy social media platforms is changing, however, as users get flooded with ads and grapple with algorithms that prioritize some content over others. Then there’s the issue of disallowed or discouraged content, and the influence of AI and bot-generated engagement. These frustrations send internet visitors looking elsewhere for the enjoyable time they used to have online.

What’s the alternative? How can we enjoy the internet again?

With the many optimizations, improvements, and modern online advents, it seems that people forget that the rest of the internet is still out there—or they don’t know how to find it. 

But, of course, the rest of the internet is still out there! Websites are easier to make than ever with specialized building and hosting platforms, whether the site is visual or text-based. Plenty of people know how or are learning to code, ready to make their own sites. Popular AI tools make this even easier, and more accessible to those who are interested. Essentially, we are not restricted to social media to find interesting and unique content, but rather there truly is space online for everyone and everything they love. 

In July 2024 alone, we counted 161 million active websites in our database. Close to 28.3 million of those are classified as content, blog, or forum websites, which means these sites exist only to inform, connect, and share. They have no obvious commercial focus, and could be the sites that come close to the internet we used to know. 

The point is to emphasize what made the ‘old internet’ entertaining and exciting: we start by bringing the focus back to community and community-generated content. This can take many forms these days, including interest-based newsletters via Substack, group chats in an app like Geneva, or active channels on platforms like Discord, Twitch, or Patreon. 

Besides this active community engagement online, there’s plenty of educational and entertainment value in seeking out the unusual websites of today. These could be passion project sites like this ecological exploration or this creative profile, unusual trackers like this interactive doorbell, or silly mini-sites like this dizzy option. Once you start visiting these delightful little corners of the internet, it’s hard to stop. But where do you find them?

Screenshots from modern websites
Figure 2: Snapshots of contemporary non-commercial websites, linked above.

How to navigate the internet for a nostalgic time

The first step is to BE CURIOUS

  • Start on the big platforms, then follow the external links of the people or topics you like. Actually go to their websites and poke around.
  • Search for blogs on a topic you're interested in.
  • Sign up for newsletters and platforms that support what you’re looking for.

Where to start?

The internet still has its magic, but we’ve been a little swept away by the glamour and ease of catch-all destinations like search engine snippets and social media platforms. Treat the internet like a library: enter with an open mind (don’t head straight for the ‘new’ shelf), take your time to browse the shelves, open up a book now and then and get a taste of what’s inside, and then, if you like what you see, check out! Instead of letting yourself be served up whatever an algorithm recommends, go out into the World Wide Web and poke around until you find something fun. Don’t forget to then subscribe or check in regularly, and you’ll bring the old internet back to your life.

This article is part of the Modern Internet series, where we dive into today's digital culture and the online landscape. Keep an eye out for our upcoming pieces on GenAI transparency, low-tech internet solutions, and the rise of mini-games where they're least expected.

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