Why reliving 2016 is the new social media trend

By Jordan-Marie Smith,

Published January 16, 2026 at 3:13 PM CST

Social media users, in 2026, are reliving 2016 nostalgia online. We answer the questions swirling around why and what this means.

Jordan-Marie Smith

Jordan-Marie Smith is a producer with NPR's All Things Considered.

Patrick Jarenwattananon