How X10.com Became the Internet’s Most Hated Website

In the early 2000s, X10.com seemed to be everywhere. The company sold affordable wireless cameras and home-automation products—but its aggressive advertising strategy turned an obscure electronics retailer into one of the Web's biggest traffic stories. Using controversial pop-up and pop-under advertising, X10 reportedly reached tens of millions of Internet users. At one point, its measured traffic was ranked alongside some of the biggest websites on the Internet. But there was a problem. People didn't necessarily want to visit X10.com. The same advertising strategy that generated enormous traffic also helped create a massive backlash against intrusive online advertising—and contributed to the rise of pop-up blockers. This video follows the rise and fall of X10.com, from its home-automation roots and wireless cameras to its extraordinary 2001 traffic surge, the advertising backlash, changing browser technology, and the company's eventual 2013 bankruptcy. Was X10.com a marketing genius—or a warning about the future of the Internet? Watch until the end to see what happened to X10 and the technology behind it. Subscribe for more deep dives into forgotten technology, failed Internet companies, and the strange history of the Web. #X10 #InternetHistory #TechHistory #DotCom #Technology