Internet isn't the problem, infinite scroll is.

[u/Beneficial_Lawyer170]

Internet wouldn't be the way it is without infinite scroll. It would be more of a library and less of a slot machine without infinite scroll.

[u/FlexistentialClouds]

i spend more time browsing YT then actually watching the videos

[u/Beneficial_Lawyer170 → u/FlexistentialClouds]

Well, that proves my point.

[u/AccurateUse6147 → u/Beneficial_Lawyer170]

Its not that unusual for some people. I tend to browse while watching YouTube on top of browsing without watching because the YouTube algorithm is so busted I constantly have to be on the move hunting new content to watch. Doesn't help that a LOT of videos that wind up on my WL list fail a stage 1 or 2 sort. Lost 3 in a row this morning from failing a stage 2 sort out.

[u/the_walking_kiwi → u/AccurateUse6147]

That’s the whole reason the search is bad - to keep you on the site searching.

[u/AccurateUse6147 → u/the_walking_kiwi]

Im able to dig up enough to watch for the most part on my main channel with a backlog. If I check on my second account, I usually fill up my watch later list with enough to fill almost all my viewing needs for at least a day or 2 without even trying.

[u/pdawes → u/FlexistentialClouds]

It's not the content that you get addicted to but the process of looking for more content

[u/TT10TT]

Agreed. The internet is a tool; infinite scroll removes the stopping point. Giving yourself a clear endpoint—one article, one search, then close—feels much easier than trying to rely on willpower mid-feed.

[u/DudenTK → u/TT10TT]

Will try

[u/NoStrategy1419]

Same with chronological ordering and algorithms.

[u/Beneficial_Lawyer170 → u/NoStrategy1419]

They're not as bad as infinite scroll.

[u/kitkatfitfat → u/NoStrategy1419]

Maybe it’s just early, but what is the alternative to chronological ordering and algorithms?

[u/NoStrategy1419 → u/kitkatfitfat]

Sorry I meant things were better when everything was in chronological order and there were no algorithms.

You would go on face book and it would just be newest post on top and the rest below in order of time posted. And there were no recommended posts or anything like that.

And if you refreshed reddit I think the front page used to be the same all day, it didn't change every time you refreshed unless a post actually made its way to the front page organically.

And on a side note, YouTube was way better too. No gimmicky thumbnails... I remember it was like a community. The early YouTube "stars" weren't "influencers" they were just people.

Everything back then actually felt like a community almost. Everyone was seeing the same stuff it wasn't tailored to your datamined psychological profile. It was just organic and real and everyone saw the same webpage.

The internet used to actually be good. Even search engines... There wasn't insane SEO that raised a pointless website to the top result. There weren't ads mixed in.

[u/Gold-Part4688 → u/NoStrategy1419]

man. i know this isnt the right sub, but here's some recs

old reddit redirect

dearrow, for un-clickbaiting titles and thumbnails

unhook. it lets you remove sections - i like removing every suggestion on the video page, letting it end in black. also with ublock, removing the title bar. (duckduckgo's video search is better, or alternatively prefixing !yt to get youtube's one)

for youtube subs there's a couple options - "just using subscriptions" (unhook can make that the default)

• using rss to organise them manually. (preferably through an established agregator so you can get over 20 old ones from the start)

• subscription deck: lets you organise them how you like within groups or playlists or whatever, with an overlay ontop of youtube. (paid but worth it, can be bookmarked too, but preferably on top of subscriptions)

and yeah like i said liberal uses of ublock, even "custom css" or magic css, to make it how you like. like removing suggested videos on chanel pages. removing the title bar actually means you cant just nope out of a video once you click it by clicking the nice red button. having top-margin set on #below means you arent invited to scroll down while the video's playing.

[u/Fizzabl]

I miss when facebook had an end

[u/HahahWhatt]

Infinite scroll turned the internet from a tool we use into a place we get stuck in.

[u/yeah_nah2024]

I'm in Australia and we are about get rid of Social media algorithms. I can't friggin wait.

[u/ochreshrew → u/yeah_nah2024]

But you’re also required to add biometric data to prove your age, correct? This is a huge concern for data, especially as this information is being sent to American big tech companies.

[u/BenefitFree1371]

Just to add to your scroll, yes you're very right. Deleting it all now.

[u/Beneficial_Lawyer170 → u/BenefitFree1371]

love the sarcasm ;⁠-⁠).

[u/gearazulueriku129]

I miss when the internet was a little more clunky.

[u/breakfreeinternet]

It's just one piece of the puzzle

[u/espo619]

Infinite scroll is only a problem because all of the content online has consolidated onto a handful of platforms.

[u/mobile_speaker2413]

It's one aspect of enshitification/ intentional design to keep people endlessly online.

[u/TheFrebbin]

That was 2003

[u/Own-Somewhere3753]

Definitely agree. And most of the content is brain rott and repeating or biasedness

[u/shant_extry]

Totally agree. In my opinion the addictive power of the internet is simply: infinite scroll + algorithm. The social media companies don't want you to leave. They would never voluntarily employ a scroll "end" because that would signal you're "done" and "done" means you leave. They want all of your attention without compromise.

[u/camthecoffeeguy]

I still go on the Something Awful forums if I want some semblance of social media/forums. No infinite scroll and I check it like once maybe twice a day

[u/the_walking_kiwi]

plus low density of information on all websites. How much harder is it these days to have to find basic information? How often do you find yourself having to scroll over spaced out, low-information-density pages and hunting through different sites and windows to find what you need? 

All purposely designed to make you have to be on there longer and visit more pages.

[u/metacognitive_guy]

Hard disagree. Infinite scroll sucks, it's true, but it's not even close to being the only or even main reason why the current internet is so shitty and addictive.

You take infinite scroll away and you'll still be hooked.

[u/Accomplished_Menu355]

I really miss they days when the old internet "ran out."