Anti-social: It's fads, not friends, which now dominate social media feeds
Points and comments are a snapshot, not live.
Social media platforms shifted from facilitating communication between friends to entertainment hubs dominated by professional content and algorithmic feeds.
Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook now prioritize algorithmic content discovery over friend connections. Data shows posting activity declined: UK users posting actively dropped from 61% to 49% year-over-year; Gen Z shows 18% active posting versus 74% passive consumption. Users migrated intimate communication to messaging apps like WhatsApp and private groups. Meta's AI recommendation system surfaces unconnected content regardless of whether users follow creators. Global social media ad revenue reached $317 billion in 2026, with Meta's ad sales growing 22% and expected to surpass Google. Small businesses face pressure to become content creators rather than focus on core operations. Users report seeing fewer friends' posts and more ads disguised as content.
What commenters are saying
The dominant view: social media was never truly social, but early platforms (2004-2010) did mirror real-life social dynamics before algorithms took over. Commenters distinguished between a brief golden age when Facebook primarily showed friends' updates and the current state. Several noted that genuine social interaction migrated to messenger apps and forums years ago. One thread highlighted that platforms deliberately deprioritized social features around 2011 in favor of engagement-driven monetization. Some defended residual social benefits (reconnecting distant friends, coordinating meetups) as real but overshadowed by noise.