Before feeds, before algorithms, there was the Class of 1996: websites & organizations founded (or expanded) in 1996, like the Internet Archive.
On the occasion of the Internet Archive’s 30th anniversary, we’re opening the internet’s yearbook to celebrate the sites, services & scrappy experiments that helped shape the web as we know it. From class leaders like Center for Democracy and Technology to cultural icons like The Onion to the archivists making sure none of it disappears, this is a reunion worth attending.
Some are still thriving. Some have changed beyond recognition. Some are already gone. All of them remind us: the early web wasn’t just built, it was lived in.
THE MORE YOU KNOW: Did you know that some publishers are blocking the Wayback Machine from archiving their sites, putting decades of reporting and cultural history at risk of disappearing from the public record? If the web’s past matters — and the Class of 1996 reminds us that it does — now is the time to speak up. Add your name to the petition calling on publishers to stop blocking the Wayback Machine and help ensure the internet’s history remains accessible for future generations.
Class of 1996
Class President — Center for Democracy and Technology
The Center for Democracy and Technology didn’t just show up—they helped write the rules of the internet. And 30 years later, they’re still fighting to keep it open.
Go Wayback to 1996: https://web.archive.org/web/19961022174718/https://cdt.org/
Most Likely to Fix Your Computer — CNET
Before YouTube & TikTok tutorials, there was CNET, walking you through every crash, install & “have you tried turning it off and on again?”
Go Wayback to 1996: https://web.archive.org/web/19961221064020/http://www.cnet.com/
Best Dressed — eBay
eBay—Where the outfit and the backstory come with it. Vintage, rare, unforgettable…just like the early web.
Go Wayback to 1999: https://web.archive.org/web/19990117033159/http://pages.ebay.com/aw/index.html
Most Popular (Or Knows Who Is) — Alexa Internet
Before “trending,” there were rankings, and Alexa told us who ruled the web. (RIP to a real one.)
Go Wayback to 1997: https://web.archive.org/web/19970530104435/http://www.alexa.com/
Most Changed Since Freshman Year — Google
From a dorm room experiment to organizing the world’s information. Some people really did peak after high school.
Go Wayback to 1998: https://web.archive.org/web/19981111183552/http://google.stanford.edu/
Most Helpful — Ask Jeeves
Ask a question. Get an answer. Preferably in complete sentences. The internet had a butler once & he was awesome.
Go Wayback to 1996: https://web.archive.org/web/19961219064854/http://www.askjeeves.com/
Class Clown — The Onion
Making us laugh at the news online since 1996 & occasionally making it feel a little too real.
Go Wayback to 1996: https://web.archive.org/web/19961219015005/http://theonion.com/
Best Hair — Unofficial Spice Girls Fan Site
Before social media, fandom lived here: glitter text, tiled backgrounds & serious ‘Wannabe’ hair.
Go Wayback to 1996: https://web.archive.org/web/19961229144915/http://spicegirls.com/
Cutest Couple — World Wide Web Consortium & Cascading Style Sheets
Structure meets style. The web’s ultimate power couple & still going strong.
Go Wayback to 1996: https://web.archive.org/web/19961227091242/https://www.w3.org/
Most Athletic — 1996 Summer Olympics Website
One of the first times the whole world followed the games online. Faster, higher, more digital.
Go Wayback to 1996: https://web.archive.org/web/19961223003700/http://www.atlanta.olympic.org/
Most Talkative — ICQ & Hotmail
The beginning of being always reachable…for better or worse.
Go Wayback to 1997: https://web.archive.org/web/19971210072826/http://www.icq.com/
https://web.archive.org/web/19971210171246/http://hotmail.com
Most Likely to Save Everything — Internet Archive
Because the web isn’t forever, unless someone saves it.
Go Wayback to 1996: https://web.archive.org/web/19970126045828/http://www.archive.org/
Most Likely to LAN Party — Quake
Before Twitch streams there were cables, pizza & Quake. You had to be there (literally).
Go Wayback to 1996: https://web.archive.org/web/19961220085409/http://www.idsoftware.com/
Most Quotable — Salon
Smart, sharp & written to be shared.
Go Wayback to 1998: https://web.archive.org/web/19981212032509/http://www.salon1999.com/