People miss the old internet because the new internet is getting worse in tangible ways every year: adtech, AI-generated slop (and SEO slop even before that), m

People miss the old internet because the new internet is getting worse in tangible ways every year: adtech, AI-generated slop (and SEO slop even before that), manipulative algorithms, and ever-more-intrusive monetization. The iron law of encrapification dictates that almost any web platform (youtube, reddit, etc.) will keep pushing the "degrade the end user experience to make more money" button until it stops working. A slightly more charitable take is that people miss the "loss leader" versions of platforms before the inevitable monetization push (demanding continual growth even in a saturated market) took hold and started making them worse every year.