Nostalgia for the early internet: rebuilding serendipity in algorithm design and policy

Nostalgic comments about the early internet praise its random, chaotic aesthetic. By contrast, the major platforms of today are typically viewed as corporate in aesthetic. At the heart of this shift is the recommender algorithm, determining what content users are exposed to. Narrow algorithms based on user engagement have created filter bubbles, echo chambers and political polarisation online. Instead of seeing strange or unusual items, algorithms have been shown to trap users into ‘you loops’, surrounded by similar users in filter bubbles. This creates a deleterious effect on democracy, user growth, education and ontological security.In this paper, we consider forms of resistance against algorithmic ranking and efficiency, including nostalgia for the early internet. This involves a consideration of early websites that were unpolished compared to the corporate algorithmic ranking-based sites of today. We argue that the movement towards a curated life has resulted in a loss of serendipity for the user and the narrowing of the user experience, limiting personal growth and the variety of content users are exposed to. We consider ways to shift back to a more random aesthetic, where less popular items are shown to the user, to increase the serendipity they experience on major platforms.