I wish I didn't miss the '90s-00s internet

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Nostalgia for the 1990s–2000s “old web” surfaces alongside criticism of today’s commercialized, addictive, and heavily centralized internet. Commenters recall slower connections, clunky tech, and DIY communities (BBSs, IRC, forums, personal sites) as more authentic and less driven by surveillance, engagement algorithms, and corporate platforms, even while acknowledging that modern tools, bandwidth, and security are vastly better. Many argue the early spirit of experimentation and small, interest-based communities still exists in niches and alternative protocols, but it is harder to find amid social media feeds and ad-driven design.

Overall nostalgia vs. realism

  • Many posters resonate with missing the 90s–00s “feel”: smaller, weirder, more personal, less corporate, more hopeful.
  • Others push back: the old net had slow dial‑up, awful search, rampant malware, constant crashes, unusable multimedia, and lots of low‑effort “under construction” pages.
  • Several argue what people really miss is being young and discovering tech, not the actual technology.

Commercialization, ads, and surveillance

  • Strong theme: the web shifted from hobbyist, non‑monetized content to profit‑driven platforms, surveillance capitalism, and engagement‑maximizing design.
  • Old banner ads are seen as far less harmful than today’s tracking, profiling, dark patterns, and data farming.
  • Some note commercialization enabled broadband, streaming, and huge services; others say the same outcomes could have been achieved without today’s adtech excess.

Social media, culture, and authenticity

  • Many blame social media (mid‑00s onward; iPhone/App Store often cited) for:
    • Replacing forums/IRC/blogs with addictive feeds and algorithmic manipulation.
    • Flattening personal expression into “profiles,” aesthetics, and follower metrics.
    • Turning sharing into performance and self‑branding instead of genuine community.
  • Counterpoint: most people like the current internet; social feeds are likened to channel‑surfing TV, with some real utility.

Communities: then vs. now

  • Forums, Usenet, IRC, mailing lists are remembered as smaller, topic‑focused, and less driven by corporate incentives.
  • Their decline and replacement by Discord and big platforms is widely lamented; chat is seen as bad for long‑term, searchable knowledge.
  • Some argue self‑hosting and small communities are still very possible but require more effort to moderate and defend against abuse.

Addiction, mental health, and youth

  • Posters, including younger ones, describe TikTok/Reels–style feeds as highly addictive and mentally corrosive.
  • Parents discuss strict limits and trying to allow “supportive tech” while blocking dopamine‑driven apps.
  • Generational perspectives differ: older users could “opt in” to social media; Gen Z often grew up immersed with less choice.

What to do now

  • Suggestions: build personal sites, join niche forums/IRC/Gemini, avoid recommendation feeds, use blockers, and be deliberate in online use.
  • Repeated motif: the “old internet” spirit still exists in pockets; it just isn’t what mainstream platforms surface.