March 17, 2026
Link it or lose it
Have a Fucking Website
Make a site, not just a feed—half cheers, half groans
TLDR: A viral rant tells businesses to own their space online with a simple website and email list instead of relying on social platforms. Commenters split between cheering “buy a domain” and warning that mom‑and‑pop shops lack time, skills, and fair help, with some calling the rant weak—timely because platforms can change overnight
The internet is clutching its pearls and its domain names after a profanity-laced plea to small businesses and creators: have a website. The rant hammers Instagram and Facebook for holding audiences hostage, warns that platforms can change rules overnight, and begs for a simple page with hours, prices, and an email signup. No buzzwords—just a menu, a map, and freedom.
Comments turned into a street brawl. The cheer squad shouted “finally!” with rdevilla going full gladiator—"JavaScript was a ... scourge"—and rallying for old‑school, easy pages over app-like bloat. On the other side, stackghost and blinkbat delivered a reality check: mom‑and‑pop shops barely keep up as it is. Building and maintaining a site? Hard. Trusting local dev shops? “Predatory,” says one commenter. Cue the meme of the day: protocolture’s zing about businesses that “never get beyond a mobile number,” spawning jokes like “Your menu is not a Story” and “Link-in-bio isn’t a front door.”
Then came the critic’s cut: ghayes called the piece “unfocused and unpersuasive,” more rage at Big Tech engineers than help for customers. That set off another mini‑feud—empowerment vs. empathy. But everyone agrees on the stakes: when social sites lock the gate, you lose your audience. A tiny, boring website—and an email list—might be the most rock‑solid thing on the internet right now.
Key Points
- •The article urges businesses and creators to have their own websites with essential information (e.g., hours, rates).
- •It argues social media platforms can change policies or ban accounts, jeopardizing audience access.
- •The author claims users do not own followers or posts on social platforms, risking content and reach.
- •It recommends starting a mailing list, asserting email is a resilient, direct communication channel.
- •The piece contrasts the open, link-based web with platform “walled gardens” and calls for more independent sites.