The Return of the Humble Link Page

When I was in my late teens and early twenties, the web was still relatively new. Search engines were still primitave, and one of the best ways to find content online was to stumble upon a site related to something you were interested in; once you had explored that site, you would head to the link page. Every little site had one of these things. It was usually pretty simple: a list of links to other related pages. Sometimes it would be categorized, sometimes it wouldn't. Sometimes it would be a jumbled mess. But because there was a human writing the web page (and usually the code for it too, in those days) the link page would be hand-curated. Somebody else thought that a page was worth linking to. Every trip through a link list was the start of a brand new adventure. What you might find on the other side of a link might be pure garbage, or it might be your new favorite site.

These days, it seems that the internet has become a colder and more sterile place. Huge corporate websites like Facebook and Reddit host the content that would have ben on personal sites in years past. Content is now recommended by algorithms instead of people, and it's done to keep you on their site longer to serve up ads instead of a genuine desire to share. Bringing back the humble link page might just bring back some of that human touch that the internet has been missing, promoting niche content that would get buried by the algorithm and fostering a more organic web experience.

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First, Some Background...

In the days of the early web, if you wanted to have an online presence you needed to build a personal webpage (or have someone else build it for you). More often than not, it was a labor of love; the lone webmaster probably wasn't getting paid, so it was usually a passion project. These early webpages almost always had a page dedicated to links to other pages that the webmaster found useful, interesting, or related to their site in some way. This was especially true for niche communities like the (at the time) fledgeling anime community. Linking to other related pages was a good way to not only remember what sites you liked, but to steer your visitors to them too. Often, the site you linked to would "link back" and provide a link you your site on theirs, thus forming a web of interconnected websites. This would be further developed with the invention of the "web ring": webmasters would submit their site to a central database for that ring, and be placed into the ring. They would then copy and paste a bit of javascript onto their site somewhere that would link them to two neighboring sites on the ring. This way, a visitor could easily find new websites related to the page they were leaving.

All this linking was the backbone of the web back then. A link page was a curated list of recommended sites that was a reflection of the webmaster's interests and values. It was a way to share content in the days before social media, and it was the first steps - along with forums and chat rooms - towards building communities. If there was a topic that you were interested in exploring, all you had to do was to find one page about it and it would lead you to dozens more - each one as unique as the webmaster that built it. Every new link was an adventure, and you could spend hours hopping from one personal webpage to another. We used to call that "surfing" the web.

But people don't surf the web like they used to. Now if you want to find something online, you head over to a search engine (usually run by a large corporation), type in your search, and click on whatever is near the top of the list. If that didn't give you what you wanted, you go back to the search engine and try again - or try a different search engine. Even worse are algorithm driven recommendations found on various social media sites. Both situations have to be questioned, because both search engines and social media sites have a vested interest in either keeping users within their site, or coming back to their site. It's not in their interests to lead you to a site with other links on it, because then you'll spend your time elsewhere instead of on their site with their ads that they profit from. The commercialization of the web has probably been the single biggest factor in the decline of the personal web page and the link page; it's a force that wants to centralize users into a few walled gardens so that they can be served up paid ads, and their data harvested.

Why it Matters

So, why should we bother with link pages anymore? Well, for starters, a hand-curated link page provides a human touch that is sorely lacking in modern web design. Much of the content that we encounter is pushed to us by algorithms that we as users have no real control over. More often than not, content is served to us by an algoritmn that has a profit motive; either our data is being harvested to be sold, or we are being served up a constant stream of paid advertising - and usually both. Link pages generally don't have a profit motive. They are human creations that an actual author has put the effort into because they found those links to be useful or interesting.

Link pages can also support independant creators and small online comunities. Large sites can afford to buy sponsored placement at the top of search listings, which drives traffic to already established sites. Small sites usually don't have such advantages, and link pages can help them find a wider audience that they might not have otherwise.

Additionally, link pages encourage users to actively explore the web, instead of passively consuming content that is fed to them by an algorithm. This, in turn, fosters a culture of curiosity and learning. When the web was young, there was a kind of DIY attitude about the web; it was realatively easy publish on the web, needing only some knowledge of HTML, maybe some CSS, and a free web host. Some of my friends got into web publishing in the first place by finding a cool website and saying to themselves, "How can I do that?" and then finding out that it was really easy to get started. As the web grew more commercialized, that attitude was lost, and I think we're all worse off for it.

On Decentralization

But the most important thing that link pages can do, is help decentralize the web. For far too many users, "the internet" is merely a handful of very large, corporate-run platforms. This has become a self-perpetuating cycle, where users go to the large platforms for content, because they don't know about any alternatives. In turn, those smaller sites become even less noticable, eclipsed by giants. Link pages can help shine a spotlight on alternatives to giant platforms, and promote a more diverse internet experience.

Link pages can also help push back against the pervasive tracking and targeted advertising that large platforms use to create their huge profits. Many of the dominant sites use content pushed by algorithms to keep users inside their own ecosystem, profiting not only from the ads that they serve up but actually using user-generated content as a draw for other users. On most of these large platforms, all the content comes from users who are not paid or compensated in any way. Link pages maintained by individuals or small communities can help users get out of these walled gardens and into corners of the net that they never even knew existed.

Most importantly, link pages truly embody the DIY ethos, the creativity and community driven spirit of the Old Web. Just like every amateur website is different, so too are the link pages; each one a snapshot of what each webmaster finds important or interesting. Each link is a personal choice, and that can be a powerful counterbalance to the sleek but impersonal designs of modern large sites.

Practical Steps

So, what can we all do? Well, if you don't have your own website already, go make one. HTML is fairly easy to learn, and there's a ton of resources online that are completely free. If you've already got your webpage made, then make that link page! Found a cool site? Don't keep it to yourself - link it. Linking to things that you personally find valuable is what makes the web grow organically instead of artificially pushing content by algorithms.

For those who are a little more ambitious, you can create a community link directory. These kinds of sites used to be everywhere in the early web. I used to spend hours on the Anime Turnpike when it was around. These kinds of community driven link directories can be tailored to serve specific interests and give niche groups a chance to grow and flourish.

Finally, we all need to do a beter job educating the next generation. Don't let them just passively consume content that's fed to them by an algorithm; go out there and have a conversation - online or offline - about building web pages and curating links. If you can already code HTML, teach others. If you're just starting out, find a friend to learn with you. Getting people involved with the process will convert people from passive consumers to active participants and foster a sense of discovery and exploration on the web.

Replies to the Naysayers

Now, I can hear what you're saying. "This sounds like a lot of work. Aren't search engines and social media enough?" Well, that depends. Do you like being steered to big websites that all look pretty much the same? Do you want to be fed whatever content will make the platform the most money? Or do you want to get out there and really explore what the web has to offer? We've all gotten so used to being locked up in one web ecosystem or another that many of us can't even see the bars anymore. It might mean putting in some more effort, but personal web curation makes a better web for everyone.

"What about people posting links to malware or other sketchy sites?" We can't control the actions of others, be we can all police our own links. Part of curation is routinely checking them to make sure they're still good, and going to where you intended. If you find that one of your links used to be good, but now it's pointing to something sketchy, prune it! It's every user's responsibility to recognize the signs of a malicious website, and - just like a garden - the community needs to go though and pull the weeds from time to time. As you're exploring the web, be vigilant - don't post links to bad sites, and don't link to those who do.

"But those old link pages are old fashioned and cluttered..." Maybe they were back then, but there's no reason they have to be now! Just like personal web pages, link pages can be as individual as you are. Experiment with new layouts, be creative and innovative, and most importantly, express yourself even with the humble llink page.

Look Back to Move Forward

Link pages may be a small part of the overall web experience, but they were an essential part of the web experience in the early days of the web. You could spend hours exploring, going down one rabbit hole after another, and always finding something new, interesting, and exciting. It was community-driven, instead of algorithm-driven, and there was always a sense of wonder as you would explore. Somewhere along the way, we lost something valuable - that sense of adventure when we went online - but we can get it back.

We can create our own webpages and link pages. We can cultivate a community that is active in the creative process of building a better web for everyone, and linking page to page - not for profit, but for the betterment of everyone. We can participate in link exchanges and web rings, and bring back a human-centric approach to navigating the web.

We've been conditioned to accept things the way they are. To passively consume content on the web that is recommended to us by algorithms that do not have our best interests at heart - indeed, because algorithms have no heart. We can reclaim what the web used to be - what it was always intended to be - an interconnected, diverse, and user-driven internet. We can rekindle that sense of joy, wonder, discovery, and adventure that once defined the online world. And it can all start with a humble link page.