India, Jan. 16 -- The first two weeks of 2026 have sparked a wave of nostalgia online, with social media users enthusiastically revisiting a decade old version of themselves. From grainy iPhone photos to overused Snapchat filters, timelines on Instagram and TikTok are filling up with lo fi throwbacks captioned with one simple line: "2026 is the new 2016."

Over the past few weeks, users scrolling through their feeds have encountered posts featuring familiar puppy dog Snapchat filters and low resolution videos that feel unmistakably dated. Many creators are digging into their digital archives to resurface photos and clips from 2016, often sharing them as carousel recaps or short videos set to music popular at the time.

The trend has struc...