The digital age of information and todays digital age of engagement

The way social platforms use algorithms today is vastly different from how the early internet operated. In the early days, the internet was more of a static experience. Websites were simple, with content organized in directories and accessed via hyperlinks. There was no algorithmic personalization; you actively searched for information and navigated through pages manually.

Websites were less about keeping you engaged for extended periods and more about providing information or a specific service. There were no infinite scrolls or autoplay videos to draw a person in. Notifications were nonexistent, and the concept of social validation through likes and shares had not yet been introduced. The internet was a place to find information, communicate via basic email services, and perhaps participate in forums or chat rooms that were user-driven rather than algorithmically manipulated.