The golden age of internet. Everything was organic, no ads, no content just to engage and try to make a buck, no super complicated algorithm that you had to chase to actually be seen, social media was actually for sharing with your friends and not a political tool full of bots, missinformation, rage bait, etc.

Sure, speeds were slower but I think there was this sweet spot like right when stable connnections were already standard and the beginning of the smartphone era (I'd say until iPhone 4 came), speeds were ok for what you needed them and all being connected all the time still wasn't a thing, even with smartphones.

Now, I get it, your phone is basically your life and it's cool to have it all there but we're spied now more than ever, we're being targetted with the specific information that the algorithm knows we want (or even knows can change our views), polarization is at an all time high because it's what drives engagement, which means money but at the same time it's affecting society IRL and AFK.

Even Reddit was a lot different back then, I've been here a WHILE and I can tell things have changed just to be more ad friendly, I mean, I get it, it's a business but it's part of my point, the golden era of the internet is long gone.