November 14, 2025
Close the feed, open the flame wars
Ask HN: Is building for the web even worth it now?
From zombie feeds to DIY corners, HN fights over whether the web is worth saving
TLDR: A Hacker News post asked if building for the web is still worth it amid feeds crowded by AI content. Commenters split: some say ditch social media and rediscover DIY corners with RSS and self-hosting, others argue AI is already part of entertainment and the web remains very much alive.
A late‑30s builder showed up on Hacker News asking if making websites is even worth it anymore, because his feed now feels like bots and AI‑glazed “yellow” images. The comments instantly split into camps. Team Close The Feed (led by hollowturtle) shouted that “the internet ≠ the feed” and called doomscrolling “zombie” behavior. Team Nostalgia (dutchbrit) mourned the loss of quirky hobby sites and small forums, roasted SEO (search‑engine optimization) sludge, and sighed, “the web feels less genuine.” Meanwhile, Team DIY Delight (mstipetic) flexed a happier path: ambient sounds from freesound, niche internet radio like NTS, music on Bandcamp, rediscovering RSS (old‑school “Really Simple Syndication” for reading sites) and even building their own tools. Team Small Tools (ktallett) begged everyone to stop cramming in the latest hype—simple web tools still matter. Team Anti‑Big Tech (0x6d61646f) went full rebel: de‑Google your life, self‑host media with Jellyfin, use Piped for YouTube, and skip social media entirely. Then Team AI‑Is‑Fine (onion2k) clapped back: Hollywood has used AI‑style tricks for years in CGI (computer‑generated imagery)—remember younger actors in Captain America: Civil War? People loved it. JeanMarcS dropped an AOL flashback, warning we’re back to portals that trap us. Jokes flew about “banana‑filter” AI pics and the new mantra: close the feed, save your soul.
Key Points
- •The author has been online since the early 2000s but is now disengaging from internet content.
- •They question the authenticity of text posts, suspecting interactions may be with bots.
- •AI-generated images and videos prompt immediate disengagement and cause them to leave feeds.
- •They believe the line between human and AI content will continue to blur.
- •They ask whether building for the web is still worthwhile given these trends and seek others’ perspectives.