These days we are surrounded by social media, constant messages coming through our phones to interact with friends or even total strangers.

But before the streamlined internet interaction we now have with the likes of Facebook and Twitter, we had Bebo.

READ MORE: Berkshire's most expensive streets

There will be younger readers scratching their heads right now, but for the slightly older generation, whether you loved chequered Vans and black eyeliner or Helly Hansen jackets and Cascada, it will be a throwback to simpler times.

Rushing back from school, logging onto Bebo to ‘share the luv’ and create new skins to impress your friends, it was the perfect distraction to avoid doing your homework.

Well now Bebo looks set to be making a return in February with social media users noticing a message when you head to bebo.com.

Reading Chronicle: Message from Bebo.Message from Bebo.

It reads: “Bebo is coming back in February 2021 as a brand new social network. We are currently in private beta. If you’ve been invited please enter the password below.”

But if you’re hoping to pick up where you left off, with illuminous font, grainy webcam selfies and a pile of virtual ‘luv’ hearts you’d amassed over the years, you’re going to be left disappointed.

The message adds: “PLEASE NOTE: All old data and photos were lost many years ago and are not recoverable. Sorry.”

Bebo was first introduced In 2005 and was one of the first social media platforms to really take off alongside MySpace.

The platform allowed friends to connect and create profiles made up of their favourite songs and photos and hit its peak in 2008.

Unfortunately as technology advanced people had got over the initial fanfare and the company filed for bankruptcy in 2013.

There is still limited information about Bebo’s return but it’s caused excitement on social media as fans expresses their excitement for its return.

“I told my first proper boyfriend I like him on Bebo,” said one Twitter user.

“What a time to be alive,” said another while one user wrote: “Bebo coming back is so exciting, hoping for a RAWWWRRRR revolution, take us back to better times.”

Others were less excited by its potential return, unsure how the site would fit into today’s digital landscape.

One Twitter user said: “Bebo is coming back? If :L comes back I can’t forgive anyone.”

READ MORE: Just ONE area in Reading currently recording severely high Covid rates as cases drop

Here are 10 things you used to do on Bebo that will make you cringe

  1. Offering your “Luv” to the person at school who could make the best skins.
  2. Changing your “other half” and sitting back waiting for the wave of messages.
  3. Typing with the spelling and grammar of a three-year-old.
  4. Felling genuinely hurt when your so called friend moved you out of their top 16.
  5. Spending hours deciding who should get your three “Luvs” for the day.
  6. Having Cascada – Everytime We Touch as your flashbox.
  7. Adding arrows pointing at your friends with captions like “BFF4EVER”.
  8. Listing the entire list of artists for one genre under music. Emo, Indie or Dance. Pick a side.
  9. The endless webcam selfies only showing one eye.
  10. Joining groups like “Bebo Stunnaz” for the view count.