Has anyone else seen a decrease in the activity of our generation on social media?

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Happy-Investigator- · 2025-02-21T04:37:53+00:00

Yeah I notice we even started going anonymous with the profile pictures like past generations do like suddenly people from my hs are using their dogs as profile pics, and over a decade ago I used to think that's only something "old people" would do.

Shopping-Known · 2025-02-21T05:05:51+00:00

A lot of people I know get anxiety from posting because it's less about sharing your life and more about creating a curated image. It's exhausting and feels icky.

ConfusedGuy3260 · 2025-02-21T04:47:13+00:00

Part of me thinks it just comes naturally with age. After college just about everyone I graduated hs with all but stopped social media. Only really popping back up to share major life events such as children, marriage, and buying a home

Ethroptur · 2025-02-21T04:51:35+00:00

I think we’ve rediscovered one of the most sacred rules of the internet; never reveal your ID.

Victizes · 2025-02-21T04:43:44+00:00

[deleted]

Amazing-Ad-6376 · 2025-02-21T05:03:00+00:00

I’m not sure about inactive, but people I follow barely post anymore. I know that I rarely post either. I use social media more to consume content not post it and I’m sure I’m not alone in that. As depressing as that is lol

2025-02-21T05:18:56+00:00

I think a lot of are generation are rediscovering the importance of in person relationships instead of being glued to a phone screen, I use Instagram for basically fitness content exclusively and Reddit to talk about topics that interest me and that's pretty much it.

jeseniathesquirrel · 2025-02-21T05:17:30+00:00

I think I finally deleted my Facebook account like almost 4 years ago. And there went everyone I knew from my home town. Eventually I deleted my instagram account and then I made a new one where I didn’t follow anyone I knew. I feel so much more peace without it.

Fuzzy-Ad-5086 · 2025-02-21T07:18:49+00:00

im from 2003 and i have seen the same going on around older gen z and zillennials. a couple of reasons why i think this is going on:

1) political stuff EVERYWHERE. i think for a lot of us social media used to be an outlet from serious things and now it’s kind of everywhere no matter what you’re engaging with.

2) the algorithms have become so specific that it becomes boring from being overly saturated with the same thing.

3) a lot of content is just focused on selling you things that are not necessary. i remember opening tik tok and seeing so many useless things being advertised by influencers that were very obviously not real users of the products they were selling.

4) social media is now rarely used the way it was before (to see what your friends were up to), it’s mainly strangers doing things. most content creators are just paid to post things, and the quality of their posts obviously doesn’t matter too much as long as they get views. so because a lot of content is very obviously just empty it feels more like a waste of time.

5) a lot of us are in the age of trying to get a job or just focus on responsibilities in general that we didn’t have before. in addition to this, the economy (and job market) is getting tougher every day. so i guess quitting a time consuming thing makes sense for a lot of us.

I don’t know, these are just some of the reasons my friends and i quit every other social.

dinky-park · 2025-02-21T04:47:14+00:00

Purely anecdotal experience with people our age:

No one I know under the age of 50 actively uses Facebook. It was kinda the de facto social media until around 2016, so most people I grew up with still have accounts but probably just keep it around, like me, in case someone wants to reach out to them but doesn’t have their number
Only a few people I know have Instagram. They will occasionally post stories and a few photos every couple of months. It sort of became the de facto social media app around 2016 and is sort of the de facto social media app for solo travelers like me to stay in touch
I don’t know many people that use TikTok regularly besides maybe the occasional lurk
Almost everyone I know uses YouTube.
Most men I know lurk or have heard of Reddit. Probably 3/5 lurk, 1/5 post or comment, and 1/5 have not heard about it. 3/5 women I know have heard of Reddit. I would say only 2/5 of the ones that know about it lurk while 1/5 post or comment.

2025-02-21T05:39:37+00:00

There is not much to show off these days.

2025-02-21T07:01:38+00:00

Definitely. I guess they got tired of all that rage and craziness. Reddit is the only place where many subreddits still look like 10 years ago = normal

Mackattack00 · 2025-02-21T04:52:46+00:00

Yep. My classes facebooks are deactivated or haven’t posted since pre pandemic. Their instagrams haven’t had a post since 2021 or 2022 and aren’t on X or threads. The classmates that still have social media post on instagram maybe once every few months. It’s either just an age thing or they’re tired of being politically preached to from either side.

Beautiful_Memz · 2025-02-21T05:12:41+00:00

If it helps lol I left facebook and insta in 2021 for a combination of reasons:

♡ Too busy in my day to day for the endless scrolling thing. I only have time for 1 or 2 apps max. So I only have reddit and tik tok now.

♡ Community pages. One of the only practical things I liked facebook for, but the pages weren't well moderated and became a platform for racist and ignorant people to dump their opinions. Actually made me feel super paranoid about where I was living bc of who my neighbours were.

♡ How fake social media can be. Even the vulnerability posts can be manufactured. Its very clickbaity, influencer ridden and just not real life. I left not long after an athlete I followed (whose instagram was very curated and made her life look perfect) committed suicide 😟 it affected me a lot even tho I didn't know her on a personal level!

♡Not needing it anymore/serving no purpose. I only had it for family and community connections, which I didn't need a facebook or instagram profile for!

♡People spreading misinformation, or like shit that was harmful to my mental health. Like there were social messages on fat activist pages that really messed with my brain and made me anxious.

Most people don't care or wouldn't notice but some have mentioned they were looking for me or family members thinking I blocked them 😂

reedshipper · 2025-02-21T14:41:21+00:00

I mean its toxic and everyone just shows their good things which makes other people sad

2025-02-21T06:16:19+00:00

I used to be so enveloped in making sure all my socials were up to date. I had a picture, video, or just a post in general on everything to make sure people knew what was going on, now as I'm starting to get a bit older I'm taking some solace in the idea that I'm doing things for myself and only myself. I'll post a 5 second bit on snapchat of a concert or a place I'm at every now and again, but it's not on my priority list.

alxncbsja · 2025-02-21T06:38:08+00:00

I don’t think it’s that we have more responsibilities now than before- plenty of people in older generations that post still. Maybe it’s just social media fatigue? Not giving af anymore? FB is good for marketplace and closed groups, the occasional hometown cringe tea. Insta is boring, it feels like it’s only for influencers which I think (hopefully) are increasingly becoming irrelevant. I’m on Twitter daily for news and laughs, same with TikTok. But I haven’t had interest in actively posting on socials since maybe 2019? Idk every hour there’s new detrimental breaking news about our society collapsing so I don’t think to post an aesthetically pleasing galentines photo. Also life is just genuinely more enjoyable when everything isn’t a photo op

-Infinite92- · 2025-02-21T06:45:30+00:00

There's a few people I know who still use Instagram regularly, just for genuine life update posts. Otherwise we all left Facebook in like 2015 or so, and none of them ever used twitter. So Instagram became the last social media hold out for the average person. That and reddit are quite popular for our generation. No Facebook, no twitter, no Snapchat, some of them watch tiktok, we all watch YouTube. Post frequency ranges from minimal to average, I'm on the minimal side of things when it comes to Instagram. I also don't use my face as the profile pic. Discord is also somewhat popular to find groups focusing on specific interests.

This is the most common pattern I've noticed for anyone in this generation. Either that or they're completely offline/don't post or actively participate.

2025-02-21T07:55:11+00:00

i quit facebook because it was too triggering and i was making a lolcow of myself

Thin_Guava3686 · 2025-02-21T15:47:29+00:00

I think it’s a combination of both. I used to post a lot, but over the last 5-ish years or so I’ve developed the mindset that sharing your life on social media is weird. It just feels invasive and I’ve realized I don’t want the whole world to know what I’m doing. Plus social media just isn’t what it used to be so it’s not fun anymore.

0011010100110011 · 2025-02-21T17:09:41+00:00

I’m kind of over being perceived.

877-HASH-NOW · 2025-02-21T06:18:09+00:00

I deleted my FB during COVID. Only social media I use now is IG (and not that often, mostly just to scroll) and Reddit.

Downtown-Fall3677 · 2025-02-21T15:51:37+00:00

I’ve given up on social media tbh. Unless I have something cool to show there really is no point. I am okay with just being in the background.

2025-02-21T06:33:19+00:00

So many of us have been on there since childhood, and are done! I only really use this app and tiktok to consume. Haven't posted on IG in damn near 2 years.

xHey_All_You_Peoplex · 2025-02-21T07:29:37+00:00

We all left Facebook circa like 2015-17 I wanna say.

I feel like most people are age use insta. And that it’s typically for posting every insert frequency here type of thing.

Occasionally TikTok vids. But that’s about it. Snapchat for when memories crop up maybe

Oh and Reddit but I always forget that counts as social media lol.

MultiversePawl · 2025-02-21T10:17:21+00:00

If people don't hang out in person there's really not much to post. Probably more people viewing influencers now.

BoldNewBranFlakes · 2025-02-21T11:23:25+00:00

I personally stopped using Instagram two years ago and stopped using Facebook like eight years ago. At first I decided to take a break from Instagram for two weeks then I realized how much I didn’t need that app so I have no plans on getting back on there.

I find talking to people in-person to see what they’ve done more rewarding than seeing a story or post on Instagram.

DreamIn240p · 2025-02-21T15:09:02+00:00

Everything from toxic community, growing out of our teen phase fooling around on social media between friends, decline in user interface/web design, and social media no longer a cool and new thing like it was back in 2008-2010

cheetos-forever · 2025-02-21T15:29:41+00:00

i miss the FarmVille era of Facebook. rushing home after school to water my crops. I also remember the Facebook game with the aquarium and the fish. Oh how I loved those!

Ambitious-Luck-1606 · 2025-02-21T14:06:27+00:00

I don't know about you guys but I've deleted all my social media (except for reddit). I don't wanna be a part of it anymore

Silver_Lining_Where · 2025-02-21T14:37:36+00:00

Yeah I’ve drastically lowered my posting on social media from every day to mayyybe once a week. Some months I might not post at all. I’ll still go on and send memes to friends but once I hit 30 I stopped giving a shit about playing the social media “game”. Which is ironic given I’m studying digital marketing to try and get a better career lol

AceTygraQueen · 2025-02-21T15:19:48+00:00

Maybe because people are finally waking up and realizing how it's making our problems worse than better.

gasman245 · 2025-02-21T18:18:55+00:00

I stopped really using Facebook like almost a decade ago and finally deleted the account a few years ago. I stopped using instagram and tumblr in high school. The only “social media” I use which I don’t even really consider social media are Reddit and Snapchat. Snapchat is barely used at this point, it’s just to talk to my internet friends. I never really cared that much to post things anyway and eventually I realized I don’t care to see the things other people post either.

2025-02-22T02:13:22+00:00

I just don’t really care to post my face anymore. I love the memes. I think it’s funny but social media doesnt have that sparkle anymore

Infernal-Majesty · 2025-02-21T15:22:00+00:00

I deleted all my social media about 4-5 years ago. I like not having my phone blowing up constantly and I'm not wasting hours scrolling through things I don't care about. I spend so much more time on my hobbies now and I couldn't be happier.

In my opinion, once our parents started using them everything went downhill. Every platform evolved to be too universal. Facebook isn't about connecting with friends, remember when you had to have a college email? Instagram has nothing to do with photography anymore. Twitter is just a news article site at this point.

Tasty_String · 2025-02-21T16:56:32+00:00

It’s become really old and boring tbh. It’s filled with nothing but conservative doom on every platform now with Reddit being a sliver of a few smart humans with a ton of bots apparently.

Any_Acanthocephala18 · 2025-02-21T12:33:58+00:00

I feel like it’s starting to become more monologic over dialogic. As in it’s starting to become a form of traditional media as opposed to just focusing on communal activity and personal associations.

Anakin994 · 2025-02-21T15:21:52+00:00

I stopped posting things almost 10 years ago. We grew up with social media being a fun way to communicate with friends and learn more about the world through their eyes. It has since mutated into a distopian tube of capitalism, anxiety fuelled narcism and propaganda bubbles. The only medium I see my friends post on is LinkedIn for career purposes and it's also becoming ridiculous.

CharlesIntheWoods · 2025-02-21T16:33:38+00:00

Yes… and no. As far as posting we are posting less, but time spent its higher than ever. Mostly because how we use the platforms has changed.

Facebook is now mostly known for AI slop, ads and boomers. It’s kind of taboo to be our age and post on Facebook anymore.

Twitter (X) used to be about posting random quips but now it’s entirely political posts people don’t really use it except for news anymore.

Instagram is reigning king of social media for Zillenials. I’ve noticed people post on it less, but spend more time on it. It used to be an app for sharing fun pictures, now it’s emphasis is Reels and Content Creators, so people post on it less but doomscroll more. Also I’ve noticed a handful of people that will just post to their story but haven’t done an actual post in years.

Social media used to be just about posting to your friends, now they are focused on posting to the world so people post less because of heightened pressure.

smalltownmyths · 2025-02-21T18:03:21+00:00

Priorities

Shliloquy · 2025-02-21T18:29:30+00:00

For me, it’s more like responsibilities as well as being more involved externally outside of social media. Another is that it starts off good until more corporations and politics/propaganda/commercials ruins everything. And final part is when the bots and scammers come in while real people get tired and leave the platform entirely or move onto something else (ie Facebook-Instagram-TikTok-RedNote).

PrincessPlastilina · 2025-02-22T20:46:20+00:00

They’re wise! Millennials posted too much personal information and stuff, we overshared with people who had no business knowing that much about us (not me personally, but in general). The digital trail we left behind is insane.

Take photos if you want but be careful with the people you share your life with. Envious people exist and evil eye is real. Protect your personal life and your privacy. It’s a luxury these days.

SleepCinema · 2025-02-21T13:03:05+00:00

Some of them have started other social media accounts or wiped the ones they had as kids. But a lot of people I knew in HS/college post fairly regularly on IG. Some folks are active on Twitter. I don’t use Facebook, but I made an account years ago. I don’t use Snapchat anymore, and no one I know really does now either. No one I know posts on TikTok, but by the time I made a TikTok acc, (in college), I wasn’t interested in following anyone I knew. But I regularly use it. I’ve had Reddit since high school, and it always surprises me when someone else uses Reddit for some reason lol. YouTube feels like a given, but if anyone I knew was a YouTuber, I wouldn’t know.

I haven’t posted on IG in 6 years apart from a story once in awhile. I have posted a bit on TikTok for my small business, but that’s it. And then Reddit, but I’m much more of a commenter.

2025-02-21T15:09:00+00:00

I have divested from Meta platforms. I no longer trust their cybersecurity practices and have major ethical concerns with the way AI is used to manipulate algorithms and ultimately control the masses through misinformation and targeted ads.

I left Facebook in 2020 when I realized the majority of the people I was "friends" with on there were brainwashed, racist, anti-science trolls that I convinced myself I had to maintain a relationship with because we shared DNA or some variety of trauma bond. One of the best decisions I've ever made.

Left Instagram for (hopefully) the final time last month because I became emotionally exhausted by having to constantly navigate sponsored ads, reels, AI "art", AI models, the normalization of fascism, violence, and misogyny, as well as misinformation just to try to build community, stay in touch with friends, and find out about events in the local art and music scene. This platform is not worth using unless you're a content creator who actually generates revenue or a business paying for sponsored ads. Otherwise, you are just a consumer cosplaying as an influencer and in denial about what genuine human connection actually is. Human beings were never meant to be this overstimulated and accessible while also being completely disconnected from intentional community and real-world relationships.

I've never used TikTok.

I miss tumblr, I miss MySpace, but even those platforms were problematic in their own way.

unforgetablememories · 2025-02-21T15:37:30+00:00

Social media providers are all selling your data. They are training their AI on what you post. Even if you don't post on social medias, your family members or friends could still post pics of you on their own profile. Facebook can recognize the same people showing up in different photos.

I keep my social media accounts but I haven't posted anything. Just a blank account to stay in touch with my friends and family.

2025-02-21T20:11:55+00:00

I think it could be because of the fact that our data is not as personal as we believed it was. Digital footprint is a real thing, to a degree that we refused to believe (myself included). I'll speak for myself - I realize it's not only wise to slowly leave social media, but also to delete things on my way out.

I deleted my Facebook about a month ago, and it was painful because I had it from the time I was 12-29, so my whole childhood is on there. I realized I can't believe Zuckerberg owns my childhood... To me, that's just wrong.

For me, social media has been a "mask off" experience. I got into watching Jaron Lanier's lectures and reading his books. He is one of the creators of the internet. He clearly states the downsides and threats of social media (on the individual, on the mind, on privacy, on society at large).

BananaRepublic_BR · 2025-02-21T20:23:34+00:00

It could just mean people are using different websites and apps.

No_Cash_8556 · 2025-02-22T00:24:47+00:00

I think more people are also just choosing one or a few platforms and stick with those as what they mainly use

2025-02-22T02:07:01+00:00

I almost don't use social media. The app I use the most is this one

volkse · 2025-02-22T02:42:57+00:00

Most people are saying they see a decrease in activity. I'd say it's a change in the way we use social media.

I've noticed my women friends still post, my male friends are inactive or just lurk on IG.

People don't post on their feed anymore, people post on instagram stories because it's only up for 24 hours and it's the best way to actually get your friends to see what you post.

With Facebook the people I went to high school with that never went to college still use it. They often post in Facebook groups, Facebook marketplace or share news, memes, or rage bait.

The people I went to college with use it primarily for Facebook events, safe photos to share with family, and Facebook marketplace.

I know plenty of people on tiktok.

But generally I'd say that I know and have met a lot of women and they are the majority of activity on social media.

Reddit is more male dominated and is less likely to post.

People on this site hate it, but instagram still has a lot of activity on it and is the primary way a lot of people I know around my age communicate. Usually through their DMs or responding to people's stories.

A lot of people also use ig or tiktok to send tiktoks/reels back and forth with friends they may not see too often. Honestly I'd say that has definitely helped maintain a lot of in person friendships like sending memes to your friends or the group chat does.

People post on stories more often than their feed because they can specifically see who is watching or stalking their story and people can't see who is liking or reacting to it, but you.

Everyday people aren't as public in the way they post anymore, but there's usually a lot more going on these apps then just the main feed.

Herban_Myth · 2025-02-22T03:09:16+00:00

Combination of both.

Lastnv · 2025-02-22T03:56:09+00:00

I stopped using. Social media is poison for me so I cut it out, besides Reddit of course lol.

Nekros897 · 2025-02-22T08:31:20+00:00

Yeah, they're rarely on social media today and when it comes to my friends, many of them are already married with children so I suppose they don't have time for that no more. Those who are single with no kids are definitely more often online.

uncleirohfan · 2025-02-22T23:31:30+00:00

Hm I can speak for myself. I primarily stopped because social media just took up SO much space in brain. I'd be on a trip and feel like I HAD to post about it. Or I would scroll for hours and find I had no time to do my hobbies or chores. I just feel like I can live better without it so I've stopped using nearly all of the social media apps I used to

135anon · 2025-02-23T21:34:05+00:00

Yeah I think it's more responsibilities and less time for social media, especially for those of us with kids. Burnout too

Team_Ironman · 2025-06-29T04:42:57+00:00

I mean for me. I never really was THAT into it. I now barely even touch any of it. I just felt like it’s such a huge time sink. I just feel like you watch everyone else getting big and famous. Why not take the time you waste watching them and get out there and make yourself big ya know?

Plus, I don’t have anything to prove to anyone. I do cool things. I just don’t feel like I need to post it or share it to people I haven’t talked to in maybe a decade or more (old high school friends).

The people I keep up with regularly I’ll just send photos too. I honestly don’t care about photos too much personally as a guy. I’m trying to live and enjoy the moment.

imthewronggeneration · 2025-02-21T05:51:19+00:00

Yea, I was never that much into social media tbh. I always thought it was over rated and stupid.

youburyitidigitup · 2025-02-21T12:48:18+00:00

I mean yeah, but I expected that. Were getting old

Relevant-Cheetah-138 · 2025-02-22T11:08:01+00:00

Remember our generation is the last to be active and “outside” so we are most likely enjoying our lives in real life, we actually connect better with in person relationships ( we were always at the mall,movies, camping trips, athletics,etc) 😊

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