Gen Z’s internet rewind, 2016 craze may reappear after 10 years, know how the old trend is returning

If your social media feed has suddenly become reminiscent of the old days, you’re not alone. Shiny filters, bold makeup, glitter effects and old pop songs playing in the background are once again in trend. Gen Z seems to be taking the internet into rewind mode, where the carefree and fun-filled digital era of 2016 seems to be returning 10 years ago.

Where 2026 is being called the new 2016. The question is, why is 2026 being called 2016, and why is Gen Z embracing this nostalgia?

Where does 2026-2016 begin?

This trend started in December 2025, when a campaign named Great Meme Reset gained momentum on social media. At the same time, keywords like “2026 is the new 2016” made a place in global search trends. Creator @joebro909 on TikTok introduced January 1, 2026 as Reset Day, with the aim of taking the internet back to an era where content was light, carefree and just for entertainment. Since then, users have started reposting old memes, classic online jokes and digital memories of 2016, further accelerating this nostalgic trend.

What happened in 2016?

For Gen Z and young Millennials, 2016 was the era of the internet when everything felt easy and fun. Tumblr, Vine and Musical.ly were at the peak of their popularity, and everyone was seeing almost the same memes, listening to the same songs and joining the same trends. There was no hesitation in fashion and beauty also.

2026 will be an upgraded version of 2016

Trends in fashion and pop culture often return after 10 years. This is why the style of 2016 is visible again in 2026, but with a new twist. The long-running “clean girl” minimalist trend is taking a back seat and being replaced by bright, expressive makeup. Not only this, the old “Rio de Janeiro” filter has gone viral again on TikTok. Apart from this, style icons like Kylie Jenner and Ariana Grande are also re-adopting the looks of that era.

Pop culture fueling nostalgia

The return of old popular franchises is also strengthening this trend. Stranger Things, which began in 2016, is ending with its final season in 2026. The Hunger Games series is returning with Sunrise on the Reaping. Even though its last original film was released in 2015, its true internet craze was seen in 2016 through Tumblr and fandom culture.

Gen Z wants 2016 back

After Covid, the pressure to always look perfect and crack the algorithm on social media had increased. Now young users are moving away from this perfection chase and giving priority to happiness, freedom and fun. People are tired of constantly running after algorithms. Now they want the Internet to be light and fun again.