Rotten.com was a pioneering shock site founded in 1996 that specialized in morbid, disturbing, and controversial content, becoming a staple of early internet culture. Known for its minimalist design and the slogan 'An archive of disturbing illustration,' it served as a rite of passage for many early web surfers before modern social media censorship existed. Today, the Rotten.com meme usually evokes feelings of nostalgia for the 'Wild West' era of the internet or is used as a reaction to describe content that is particularly unsettling or gross. It remains a powerful symbol of the raw, unfiltered, and often horrific side of digital history that paved the way for modern image boards and shock humor.