SpaceHey: An Ethical Social Network for Those Nostalgic for MySpace

Launched quietly a few years ago, SpaceHey has now surpassed one million users. With its retro design, this social network brings back fond memories for fans of MySpace and early 2000s blogs.

When we think of social networks, we often think of giants like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, or TikTok. However, there are other platforms that have found success, albeit less known to the general public. One such platform is SpaceHey, a social network created in 2020 during the lockdown by Anton Röhm. At just 18 years old, Röhm took on the ambitious challenge of creating a platform with a nostalgic, retro look as an homage to MySpace. At the time, having just finished high school, Röhm's only goal was to improve his coding skills and pass the time during the health crisis. To his surprise, SpaceHey quickly gained a devoted following among those nostalgic for MySpace and early 2000s blogs.

SpaceHey Reaches One Million Users

In a recent statement on SpaceHey, Anton Röhm announced that the platform had reached one million users. "SpaceHey has indeed become a big site. A million people is an incredibly large number—it's simply crazy! I am incredibly grateful for all the support I have received over the past three and a half years, for the friends I have made along the way, and for the lessons I have learned, both in terms of managing a community and running a business," he wrote, clearly proud of his achievement.

SpaceHey's success can be attributed to its unique offerings, such as the ability to modify the HTML and CSS code of personal pages, allowing users to fully personalize their profiles. The site is also free of trackers, cookies, and personalized ads, providing a refreshing user experience. Additionally, SpaceHey distinguishes itself with its simplicity, lacking features like "likes" and the constant push for high engagement rates.

"I created SpaceHey so that my generation could experience the early days of social media—without feeds, likes, and the like—but rather with colorful and customizable profiles, bulletins, and forums," Röhm explained in his message. Despite the platform's growth, the young developer has no intention of competing with the industry giants, choosing instead to stay true to his community of nostalgics. "SpaceHey's mission is... to be different. More personal, more fun to use, and more human," he added.

Though SpaceHey remains a retro-styled platform, featuring a forum and newsletter system, Anton Röhm continues to improve it. He focuses on enhancing the interface's fluidity, fixing bugs, and optimizing user security. Despite its old-school charm, SpaceHey aims to provide a safer, more enjoyable experience for its dedicated user base.