The Most Useless Websites with Considerable Hits
Discover websites that, despite their seemingly pointless nature, manage to attract a significant number of hits. These pages serve as a testament to the vast and often amusing corners of the internet. Let's delve into the nature and appeal of such websites and explore why they continue to draw visitors.
Playful Explorations: The Useless Web and Staggering Beauty
One of the most famous and popular sites in this category is The Useless Web. This site redirects users to a random absurd or whimsical website each visit, making it an intriguing and entertaining journey for the curious browser. While these sites may offer little to no practical purpose, their playful nature and humorous content attract a loyal following. Another contender is Staggering Beauty. Users can shake their mouse to make a wiggly character dance, generating a simple but engaging visual effect. Both sites highlight the whimsical and sometimes nonsensical nature of the internet, serving as a reminder that sometimes, the most entertaining content comes without a specific goal.
Abstraction and Simplicity: The Use and Misuse of "about:blank"
Many users might initially think that "about:blank" is the most useless thing one can view through a browser. It is indeed a peculiar artifact, left as a blank page with no content. However, it has its uses, serving as a placeholder for web pages that haven’t loaded yet or being used for testing web pages. Interestingly, "about:blank" likely receives an overwhelming number of visits, even when a user isn’t actively surfing the web. This demonstrates that even a seemingly useless page can gain traction through its presence on countless devices and browsers.
Social Media and Clickbait: The Darker Side of Online Interaction
When discussing useless websites, we often overlook the sheer volume of those shared on social media platforms like Facebook. Websites designed purely for clickbait often generate extra hits by separating lists into multiple pages or using other annoying formats. These sites are essentially designed to increase traffic and advertise, frequently resorting to spam-like tactics to gain followers and shares. My personal favorite in this category is Clickhole, which has been around for over 20 years. Initially a single page colored entirely purple, its enduring popularity is a testament to the power of simplicity and pointlessness in generating online engagement.
Critique and Conclusion: The Illusion of Communication on Social Media
While some might argue that social media sites like Facebook (FB) have lost their communicative value, billions of constantly streaming timelines filled with memes and updates paint a different picture. Many users spend their time on these platforms as 'screen zombies,' clicking and scrolling without meaningful interaction. Finding a genuinely open-minded and communicative person on Facebook is a rarity, making the experience feel more like an endless scroll of clicks and shares rather than a genuine form of communication. Truly engaging interactions should be cherished and maintained, as they add real value to what is otherwise a predominantly superficial and unfulfilling experience.