With the new year in full swing, many people seem unable to believe that it has been 10 years since the cultural phenomenon of 2016. In the mood of reminiscing, social media has been flooded with nostalgic posts of the mannequin challenge, the dog-face Snapchat lens, VSCO filters, Kylie Lip Kits, and more. For better or worse, that iconic era has made its comeback, as apparently, “2026 is the new 2016.”
While of course it’s nice to reminisce on the past, especially on such an iconic year, I’ve found myself wondering why this trend has taken over social media by storm. Why wasn’t 2025 the new 2015? 2024, the new 2014? What is it about this 10-year jump that’s making people look back so fondly on the past?
If you ask me, it’s to show the change in how social media functions. Instagram used to be a place to connect with your friends and celebrities alike, posting stupidly over-edited, highly staged photos that look comical today. Snapchat, still in its early days, boasted silly filters and the accessibility to send messages and photos that disappear after viewing. Today, social media platforms have more functions than we could ever possibly use and are flooded with ads. The interfaces that used to bring connection now somehow make everyone feel more distant.
As we barrel towards the future of the internet, the nostalgia of the past seems ever-present. 2016 is when it all started. It was when social media was still fun and fresh. Today, I can’t open my phone without seeing some AI video of talking animals, dishes telling me how to clean them, or options of which unrealistic bed I would choose from (I know you’ve all seen those, too). I miss the days of 2016, when social media seemed unserious and unfiltered – even though it was the height of VSCO editing.
In my eyes, we are at the 10-year anniversary of social media being truly influential in everyone’s lives. And I don’t think any of us would have predicted that it would change this much in a mere decade. So, while 2026 may not be the new 2016, it seems we all want it to be…at least in the connection aspect.