THERE’S another new trend gathering tremendous traction on social media, but this time it promotes something kids often dismiss – nostalgia.
Here’s everything you need to know about the ‘2026 is the new 2016’ viral trend and how you can take part.
Why am I seeing ‘2026 is the new 2016’ all over my feed?
The “2026 is the new 2016” trend sweeping Instagram and TikTok embodies a collective yearning to resurrect the unfiltered, exuberant spirit of 2016’s social media ‘golden age’.
It was a simpler time when viral dances, quirky filters and carefree memes dominated feeds – before everything got so serious.
According to TikTok, during the first week of 2026, searches for “2016” soared by 452 per cent, while tens of millions of videos have been made using the app’s 2016 filter.
Launched in late 2025, the trend encourages users to ditch polished aesthetics for nostalgic playfulness.
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Think Snapchat’s dog ears, bottle flips and Tumblr-inspired grunge makeup – overlined lips, chokers and pastel hair – but blended with subtle modern upgrades like AI-enhanced vintage filters.
Back in 2016, the internet felt like a playground for many, with Mannequin Challenge videos freezing crowds in hilarious poses, and Pokémon GO sending fans virtually hunting the streets and accidentally falling into ponds.
All of this content was set to anthems including Desiigner’s Panda and Justin Bieber’s Sorry, with 2016’s soundtrack also making a comeback of late – Spotify statistics show a 71 per cent increase in 2016 playlists in 2025 compared with the previous year.
TikTok creator Joel Marlinson told the BBC Newsbeat: “So without using words, be it somebody in France, be it someone in Germany, seeing that [2016] filter you’re instantly taken back to a time when we were having so much fun and were so much younger.
He added: “Looking at Instagram, around 2016, there was no carousel posts.
“People were posting a picture of their avocado, and it wasn’t so performative.
“There weren’t short-form reels, so there wasn’t that algorithmic kind of fatigue that people have now.”
How can I take part?
Dive in by grabbing your phone for quick, authentic videos – no fancy edits needed to capture the trend’s raw charm.
Film friends attempting the Running Man or Harlem Shake.
You’re instantly taken back to a time when we were having so much fun and were so much younger
Joel Marlinson,
Or slap on glittery cat-eye makeup and activate revived filters like Rio de Janeiro palm tree effects for group singalongs to Formation by Beyoncé.
Then caption boldly with something like: “Making 2026 the new 2016, who’s with me? #2026IsTheNew2016”
Unearth your 2016 camera roll and post that awkward prom pic or festival selfie.
The ‘2026 is the new 2016’ trend is all about embracing carefree digital atmosphere of 2016.
It brings back the nostalgia, fashion and music of the era, while rejecting the ultra-polished aesthetic of today.
The trend is a reaction to the current digital landscape, where users are craving the simpler and more authentic internet culture of a decade ago.
