The Internet’s 2016 Glow-Up Returns in 2026
In 2026, a wave of nostalgia rekindles memories of 2016 online, with throwback posts featuring VSCO filters, bold fashion, and cultural moments like Pokémon Go as people reminisce about a brighter, more personal era of social media. The trend—spurred by memes like '2026 is the new 2016'—highlights nostalgia as escapism while contrasting today’s more parasocial, algorithm-driven online environment and acknowledging 2016’s political and social lows.