Online + Human

The web that many connected to years ago is not what new users will find today,” wrote Tim Berners-Lee, one of the inventors of the internet, on its 29th birthday. “What was once a rich selection of blogs and websites has been compressed under the powerful weight of a few dominant platforms. This concentration of power creates a new set of... See more

These days many of the best online social experiences happen in very small-scale environments. A few friends, a loose microcommunity, a cozy corner with the right vibes.

It's in the air, thick with it, even, in certain places — the cozyweb, the indieweb, the slow web; tiny internets and run your own social; independent creative communities, local... See more

For those who remember a time in the last century when things were less homogenous, and different geographic regions might have their own distinct music scenes or culinary traditions, it’s easy to understand the appeal of an online equivalent to different, connected neighborhoods that each have their own vibe. While this new, more diffuse set of... See more

An unbundling of online social spaces and a retreat to the cozy web, which has resulted in a blossoming of niche creative communities