Can we go back to the old Internet?

MySpace was a truly superior platform to Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/TikTok. Not only did it allow you to choose whatever aesthetic you wanted to reflect what kind of person you are, but you could also add in a playlist for your friends to get a feel for your musical tastes.

Piczo deserves a mention because it was my personal domain for several years before it was shut down in 2012. I remember my Piczo page being dedicated to professing my love for Inuyasha (specifically the Shichinintai Arc), while “Anna Issho Datta no Ni” played in the background of my purple homepage. There was something satisfying about having my own little corner of the internet where I could splurge about my interests without having to interact with anyone.

I’ll always remember checking out my friend’s pages and leaving a comment telling them that I love the vibe of their pages. Then, we’d talk about it either at school or via MSN messenger.

Come to think of it, I miss how colorful and vibrant old logos were. They were so pretty, and welcoming. As soon as you saw any old school logo, you knew you were in for a special experience.

Compare that with the new, sanitized social media platform logos:

One thing you’ll notice is that they all have the same, boring “corporate” look to them. At least Instagram tries by using exciting colors, but something about it feels artificial. Maybe it’s the white camera frame? To be fair, MySpace’s logo was overly simple but effective (as shown on the article header).

Funny enough, the logos are perfect representations of everything boring about the new internet. What is there to do on Facebook if not having to deal with bored people picking random fights with you, or with bored people posting nothing but political orientated posts meant to lower everyone’s moods? Maybe post a bunch of memes that’ll get flagged as “misinformation” by people who got their degrees on Reddit.com.

I cannot end this post, in good conscience, without providing a solution to this issue of a decentralized internet.

First thing’s first, we need to slowly abandon the giants. Twitter(X), Facebook, Instagram, TikTok. All of them. It doesn’t need to happen overnight, that’s unrealistic.

What you can do is start finding alternative platforms and build your profile from there. You can link your friends to your profile there, and effectively leave the door open for them to join you.

Make that website you’ve always wanted to see. Whether it be your portfolio and/or a blog. Write about your interests without needing a huge following. As I’ve written previously, the giants are filled to the brim with bot accounts who were never going to uplift you.

If you don’t get much engagement it isn’t the end of the world. Just keep on trucking and don’t look back.

Until next time.

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