15 Internet Hacks That Were Once Genius But Are Now Useless
Tricks and hacks that seemed great ways to solve everyday problems have changed a lot over the years, just like the internet. Because of changes in technology, platforms, or online culture, some strategies that were once considered smart are now outdated or even harmful.
- Tricia Quitales
- 6 min read
Some hacks and tricks that were once thought to be smart ways to save time on the internet are no longer useful as it has grown. This article talks about 15 internet hacks that are no longer useful, showing how quickly things can change in the digital world.
1. Using Multiple Spaces for Extra Text Width
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Putting more than one space between words or letters to make text fill up more space is one of the oldest ways to make text look longer. Text formatting has come a long way; now, CSS or Word processors do a better layout job. Also, search engines and content platforms now fix too much spacing automatically, so this hack no longer works.
2. Manipulating URLs to Get Free Stuff
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People used to try changing website URLs to find hidden discounts or get free access to paid content in the early days of the internet. Companies today use more advanced security measures to stop this kind of hack, and websites often look for strange activities. Once thought to be a smart move, this is now just a waste of time because security has strengthened.
3. Using Fake Emails for Free Trials
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In the past, a common way to get free goods or services was to use fake email addresses for multiple free trials. Today’s platforms require phone number verification or use advanced techniques to spot fake sign-ups. Because of this, this hack doesn’t work anymore and could cause your account to be suspended.
4. Changing Browser User-Agent to Bypass Geoblocks
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People used to change the user-agent of their browsers to make websites think they were from a different country. This let them get around geo-blocks and see content that was normally blocked. However, websites now use smarter ways to spot these kinds of tricks, so this workaround doesn’t work anymore. This is now better done with IP detection and VPN services, which are much more reliable.
5. Using Google Search Operators to Find Hidden Files
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Some people used Google search operators in the past to find databases or documents that were hidden or not listed on the web. Now that Google has made its search algorithms more strict, many of these hidden files are either locked down or taken down. It’s not as easy to find private or restricted content with search operators these days.
6. Creating Fake Followers with Bots
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People in the past used bots to fake more followers on social media and make themselves look more popular. Today, social networks are tougher on fake accounts and use complex algorithms to find and delete them. Real engagement and growth have become more important, so this hack is no longer needed and could hurt your reputation.
7. Using Long, Complex Passwords for Security
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People used to think the best way to protect their online accounts was to use long, complicated passwords. Strong passwords are still important, but this hack is no longer needed thanks to password managers and two-factor authentication (2FA). Using a password manager instead of hard-to-remember passwords is now the safest and easiest way to keep your accounts secure.
8. Clearing Browser Cache to Speed Up Your Computer
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Many people used to clear their browser cache often because they thought it would make their computers run faster. It might have deleted some temporary files, but modern browsers and devices automatically take care of the cache to ensure everything runs smoothly. Clearing your cache now will only make sites take longer to load because they have to reload content.
9. Keyword Stuffing for SEO
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Keyword stuffing, which means using many keywords on a page to boost its SEO ranking, was a common way to get more people to see it in search engines. These days, search engines like Google have more complex algorithms that punish keyword stuffing and reward content that is naturally written and focused on the user. People now consider this method unethical SEO that can hurt a website’s rank.
10. Creating Fake Reviews for Products
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Some people used to write fake reviews about products to make them look more popular or reliable. However, websites and marketplaces now use AI and machine learning to spot fake reviews and punish companies that use them. Now more than ever, real customer feedback is important, and trickery doesn’t work as well as it used to.
11. Using Flash for Animation and Websites
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Back then, Flash was used to make animations and websites where you could interact. As HTML5 became more popular, Flash became less useful, and many browsers stopped supporting it. Since Flash is no longer supported, this hack is no longer useful. HTML5 and CSS3 are now the new standards for interactive web design.
12. Hiding Files with “Rename as .txt”
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Some users used to hide files by giving them new names that ended in “.txt,” which made them harder to find. These days, operating systems show file extensions by default and have search tools that make it easy to find hidden files. This method no longer works; users today depend on encrypted storage for real safety.
13. Using Hidden Tabs to Keep Web Pages Open
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There was a time when people would open many browser tabs, hide them behind other windows, and leave them running in the background to make it look like they were busy. Today’s browsers and task management tools make this hack useless because it’s easy to monitor processes running in the background. These tricks are pointless and don’t change your online presence much.
14. Overclocking to Boost Performance
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Overclocking used to be a common way to make computers faster and better at what they do by running parts faster than their rated speeds. On the other hand, modern processors and GPUs have built-in performance optimization tools that eliminate the need to overclock. These days, choosing the right hardware is more important than pushing existing parts past their limits if you want to improve performance.
15. Using URL Shorteners for Tracking
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URL shorteners used to be a smart way to keep track of clicks and make it easy to share links on social media. However, these links can now be marked as suspicious, and some platforms will block them automatically. Since UTM parameters and analytics tools have become more popular, URL shorteners are not as good of a way to get accurate information about users.