If you know what dial-up internet and HTML are, you’ll like this one. The owners of the social media site Myspace have announced a comeback for the near future. Although no official date has been set, and for those of us who are tired of the tyranny of current social media – the day couldn’t come sooner.
MySpace began as a social media site in late 2003 and had its heyday between 2005-2009, starting as an ‘easier’ way to communicate with friends – which in comparison to the alternative sites like AOL, Skype or Bebo – felt much less clunky and was streamlined to accommodate to the needs of young people at the time – customisation!
Users were able to code custom web designs on their profile to show off their favourite music, movies, or just to be coined the local ‘cool girl’. With this feature – hopefully – staying intact for the MySpace revival, being able to fully customise your digital presence is revolutionary.
After being bought over by Facebook, Myspace fell into obscurity and most traffic was diverted to Facebook and Twitter. But in recent years, many have felt discontent with the endless-scrolling possibilities and AI being integrated into most – if not all – social media platforms.
Some have moved over to Reddit, some are now using Tumblr, and some have renounced social media altogether – this is where MySpace found its opportunity to shine. After announcing its comeback, thousands are overjoyed, and more are hit with nostalgia. No longer will sentimental internet dwellers be forced to resort to invite-only, badly moderated replicas of their favourite teenage social media site, but some (like me) are experiencing this potential new age of social media first-hand. Maybe exploring what was once the most popular way of communication may help us find our way out of the dreaded perpetual doomscroll.
For all the girlies who are looking to be more mindful with social media consumption – don’t go into digital detox mode just yet! Your Y2K dreams may be a shorter wait away than you think! Get your CD’s out (maybe download some dodgy music on Limewire for your Mp3 player) and get ready for the new age of social media!