‘What was a core rule of ‘Old Internet’ etiquette that is completely dead now?’ – 17 bygone ways of being online

These days, being on the internet may feel like a relentless barrage of ragebait and AI slop, but this wasn’t always the case.

In the ancient times of relatively recently, being on the internet involved certain customs and ways of behaving.

To give youngsters a taste of what it was like – as well as a dose of nostalgia for uncs – tsashieowo put this question to r/AskReddit:

‘What was a core rule of “Old Internet” etiquette that is completely dead now?’

Flying toasters at the ready, here are the top replies…

1.

‘Signing the guestbook when you visit a webpage.’
-FormerlyGrape

2.

‘Sometimes, the only response a frequently asked question would get would be “please check the FAQ”’
-thenewjuniorexecutiv

3.

‘”Don’t feed the trolls.”

‘Nowadays the Facebook, X, and TikTok algorithms are all centered around people getting triggered by ragebait.’
-Hrekires

4.

‘To write “afk” when leaving the chat.’
-AlfasonRabbit

5.

‘Idk if etiquette is the right word, but keeping your identity hidden behind the screen name and lying or omitting when asked a/s/l was general advice. Myspace killed that mentality.’
-Purest_Prodigy

6.

‘There were small chat rooms where you could get to know people. Not in a person to person way, but learn a bit about people,over time.

‘In one chat room, there was a man from Scotland working on an oil rig off the coast of somewhere. Getting online was difficult for him (her?) so whenever this person entered the chat room, everyone would stop the conversation and greet him, ask how things were going, and then so back to the previous conversation.

‘We created communities, whether we bonded over a tv show, a band, or having a child with special needs.

‘Reddit is nice, and sometimes I recognize a poster (someone in cooking and baking subs that shares my fondness for all things lemon), but it’s rare.

‘Not sure if it was etiquette per se, but “knowing” the other people made everyone nicer.’
-readerf52

7.

‘The internet stayed on the internet. There was no talking about the goings on here out there. The worlds were too different. Now they’re the same.’
–Disagreeable-

8.

‘Let people know that you’re picking up the phone to make a call. Don’t just pick it up and disconnect them from the internet.’
-SparkyandDolche

9.

‘Don’t post links without descriptions of what they are.’
-ackmondual