I really don’t understand this trend of websites working against their own users by concealing more information, stripping away the interactive and social features people used to rely on. Features we once took for granted are disappearing.

Look at YouTube, for example. First, they removed the dislike button, and now they’re inching toward changes like hiding certain metrics entirely like the ones of the picture. Xitter has taken away or restricted many core functions, and Netflix keeps reversing decisions that initially made them the go-to streaming platform.

I know a lot of people shrug and say, ‘Where else are we going to go?’ And maybe, in cases like YouTube, that’s fair since true alternatives are rare. But just passively accepting these changes only encourages platforms to keep eroding the experience. They’re free to make it worse without much consequence.

Personally, I’m cutting down on my reliance on these sites that keep ‘pulling this kind of crap.’ Sure, it means I miss out on some things, but it’s worth it to avoid all the compromises they push on us. Since YouTube cracked down on ad blockers, I’ve minimized my time on the platform. Sorry, YouTube, but I’m not waiting through the hottest indian music hit or an hour-long ad or unskippable content.

Then there’s Reddit. I’ve recently stopped using it as well, and I’d probably quit Xitter if they pushed things too far. The limits on daily views they introduced a while back already made me take a year-long break. Luckily, I haven’t found myself affected by the likes being hidden or restrictions on blocking since those aren’t features I use much, but who knows what’ll be next? Nothing is off the table if i get my experience messed up with.

I get that these are for-profit companies, aiming to increase revenue and engagement, but so many of these choices feel counterproductive. It makes me wonder, are these decisions even human-driven, or is an AI behind these changes?

Are we heading back to square one, where websites start to feel like TV channels, giving users no say in their experience? The only choice left to us is to watch or walk away.

It’s a pretty bleak outlook if you ask me. But there’s a bit of hope, sites like Neocities and the Fediverse seem to keep alive the community-driven, user-oriented internet that i'd like to see make a comeback.

The Fediverse! I have stuff to say about the fediverse... but that’s a topic for another post.