A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for alleviating problems of long latency or delay periods on the Internet through the presentation of filler content that keeps the user occupied. The cause and extent of the latency or delay may be identified either at a client or server computer and then communicated to the client computer to trigger the presentation of the filler content on the client computer. The filler content may comprise text data, graphics data, audio data, audiovisual data, or other data as desired, and provides just enough distraction to keep the user occupied, while retaining him/her for the completion of the session, transaction, or activity. The filler content may be provided by either a server computer or a client computer, and may be selected automatically by the server computer or the client computer or may be selected manually by the user so that it can be customized based on his/her taste for filler contents. The filler content could also be selected based on predetermined criteria, such as the context of the user's session, transaction, or activity, the data being accessed, etc.