The internet used to feel like yours.
Remember when your profile actually looked like you? Your song started playing the second someone landed on your page, your Top 8 caused real drama, and you could lose a whole evening clicking through friends of friends. FriendCrib brings that back for adults, with a few things fixed.
A Note From Brandon
I miss the days when the internet was just fun. Back when you'd spend way too much time getting your MySpace profile exactly how you wanted it, changing your profile song depending on your mood, and checking to see who was online. Everyone had their own little space, and you could tell a lot about someone just by visiting their page.
Somewhere along the way, social networking started feeling different. Everything became about followers, likes, algorithms, and keeping up with people you barely know. I missed the days when you could log on, see what your friends were doing, meet somebody new, and just enjoy yourself without feeling like everything had to be posted for an audience.
That's why I started FriendCrib. I wanted to bring back some of what made those early social networks so much fun, while creating something that feels right for today. A place where you can make your profile your own, connect with people, and hopefully make a few friendships along the way.
I'm not trying to bring back 2006. I just think there were a few things we got right back then, and I'd love to see them make a comeback.
Brandon
Founder, FriendCrib
A Little Old School, A Little New
| What you remember | How FriendCrib does it |
|---|---|
| A profile you could decorate | Your crib, with themes, colors, fonts and your own song |
| Top 8 drama | A Top 8 you pick and reorder whenever you like |
| Bulletins and surveys | Both are back, for your friends to read and repost |
| Blogs and away messages | Blogs with privacy for each entry: everyone, friends or only you |
| Spam and fake accounts | Email confirmation, breach-checked passwords and optional two-step login |
| A feed nobody controlled | No algorithm. Nothing gets ranked, boosted or hidden |
The People Behind the Throwbacks
FriendCrib Mag looks back at the sites, gadgets and little rituals that made that era fun. These are the writers behind it.
Natalie Brooks
Friendships · Relationships · Real Life
Natalie Brooks is a writer and editor who's spent over fifteen years covering friendships, relationships and modern life. She came of age during the MySpace era, when a perfect Top 8 and a good profile song actually mattered. Natalie brings a warm, honest and down-to-earth approach to her writing, sharing real experiences, useful advice and the occasional lesson learned the hard way.
📍 Los Angeles, CA💻 Writer & Editor★ MySpace Survivor
Recent throwbacks: Rock Band and the Plastic Drum Kit · Paging Your Friends With Number Codes · Hanging Out in IRC Channels With mIRC
Daniel Rivera
Internet Culture · Technology · Social Life
Daniel Rivera has been writing about the internet and pop culture for nearly two decades. He was in college during the peak MySpace years, building profiles, discovering new music and making friends online who are still in his life today. His work explores how technology, social media and digital communities shape the way we connect, with a focus on real people, real stories and the ways online and offline lives intersect.
📍 Austin, TX💻 Freelance Writer★ Former MySpace DJ
Recent throwbacks: BonziBuddy and the Toolbars That Took Over · It's Complicated: Changing Your Facebook Relationship Status · The Nextel Chirp and Walkie-Talkie Phones
Claire Donovan
Lifestyle · Community · Personal Growth
Claire Donovan is a writer and content strategist who covers friendship, community and personal growth. She was in her early twenties during the MySpace and AIM days, when online friendships felt new and exciting. Those experiences still influence how she views connection today. Claire writes with a thoughtful, practical and sometimes playful voice, exploring everything from making new friends as an adult to building a life you actually like.
📍 Portland, OR💻 Writer & Content Strategist★ Coffee Shops
Recent throwbacks: Raiding in World of Warcraft When It Was New · Finding New Bands on The O.C. · Begging for a Gmail Invite in 2004
What Matters Around Here
Your page, your way. Make your crib as loud or as simple as you want.
Real friends. No suggested strangers, no follower counts and no feed picking favorites.
Privacy you control. Make your crib friends only, approve comments, and choose who sees each blog entry. Read our Privacy Policy for the details.
Adults only, and safe. FriendCrib is for people 18 and up. Every crib has Block and Report, and our Safety Tips cover the rest.
Come Make Yourself at Home
It's free, takes about a minute, and your Top 8 isn't going to pick itself. Make your crib
Say Hi
Got a throwback you want us to cover, a memory from the early days of social networking, or a correction? Send us a message or email webmaster@friendcrib.com. Every throwback is researched and checked before it's published, and we fix mistakes as soon as someone points them out.