to think that social media is on it's way out for young people

[pettyjetty]

I have noticed that many young people seem to have stopped using social media. AIBU to think (hope) we're entering the age of privacy once more? I really hope so, but has anyone else noticed their kids using SM less?

I wish. I work with 11-18 year olds and I haven't noticed this at all. The vast majority are still very, very reliant on social media. Snapchat and Tik Tok in particular. If anything we're getting an increasing number of parents expressing concerns that their kids have stopped going out or doing hobbies and are only interested in being on their phones.

I think this is it. They aren’t using less social media, they’re using different social media. My teens wouldn’t be caught dead on Facebook, they both have Instagram accounts but rarely (if ever) post anything. They’re just using different social media that lots of parents aren’t au fait with.

Posting is rarer on 'feeds' - ie Insta and TikTok (no-one has Facebook). Snapchatting with friends and scrolling stupid tiktoks is still very popular for my year 8 and pals.

Be real and similar appearing - no controls at all on them...

Forcing hobbies and activities absolutely bloody vital.

Disagree
I have deleted many who are constantly updating with the minutiae of their lives which I have less than zero interest in

Mine aren't allowed it. That said most young people wouldn't be caught dead on Facebook, it's all very much 40 and upwards demographic nowadays it's very outdated.

You'll find all the kids on tiktok, YouTube & Snapchat.

I think facebook is passe now (aka social media for old people). Tik Tok is very popular unfortunately. Not sure about instagram.

I'm not talking about Facebook, I know that's for mum's to post pictures of their kids 😁
I was referring to Snapchat, tiktok, insta etc.
I know quite a few year 9 and upward that have stopped posting on everything.

I was hoping it was more widespread but maybe not...

Not seeing that at all with my teens. Constant stream of messages that they (allegedly) need to keep us with.

They say they stopped

I am in my 30s and on Facebook😭 Didn't realise it's such a shameful thing😂

I would agree

One teen (16) only uses WhatsApp to message their mates.
The other (14) massive computer nerd uses Discord and WhatsApp.
Both think Facebook is Boomers moaning about dog poo and fireworks (well, they're not that far off). Twitter they won't touch because of Elon Musk. They flirted with TikTok during lockdowns and quickly got bored (and neither wanted to do videos themselves). I banned snapchat years ago as it just seemed to be bullies paradise.

I think it's just like when MySpace died and Bebo before it. Things run their course.

I would like to think so but I have not seen any evidence of this with teens I know.

We went away over Christmas to a European hotel that was very popular with families with teens

When the BeReal notification came through, pretty much every single one of them simultaneously reached for their phones. I think they are just moving to different apps, probably to deliberately differentiate themselves from their parents

Do you think it’s a producer vs consumer thing? They no longer post but just spend hours scrolling.

My DD (12) isn’t yet allowed “proper” social media but she and her friends use WhatsApp as if it were conventional social media if that makes sense? Constant pictures and status updates etc.

I certainly don’t think anyone under the age of 40 bothers with Facebook and my sense is that people are getting tired of Insta and it’s high gloss narcissism.

I think interest in the established platforms is dwindling but I don’t think the habit is. TikTok seems to be booming.

I thought someone might say this. They think it's uncool not me.

I think you could be right.

Maybe - I thought it was just them but maybe not if we are seeing it elsewhere but my late teens both made a new year's resolution to quit Tik Tok.

Just earlier, the older one was describing how he is actually doing it and was most pleased with himself

They seem to be aware of how addictive and time wasting it is

You can tell facebook's fucked because the few times I click on it these days the newsfeed is just memes by content companies. Bugger all from people I actually know. Good riddance of course, it's long overdue.

My teens mainly use Discord. They have Facebook, but only to use messenger, which they use to message me.

None of them have shown any interest in TikTok. I don't know why. Mainly they prefer to chat with their friends about games, so that could be the reason.

I have always made sure they do other stuff, but apart from the 15 year old they are adults now. 15 year old does Scouts and other stuff, so is active and not alway on his phone.

I can't really complain about them being on screens as here I am!

Yes, anecdotally I have noticed my 15.5 year old not really using it anymore. He's deleted tik tok and doesn't really use Instagram. His friends are the same he tells me. They find it dull and DS says waste of his life. He has a problem with the emptiness of it all. I'm not sure if it is where we live as they prefer real life connections, watching world cup together when it was on at different houses, going to parties, play football in the park after school unless terrible weather. They do play FIFA or chess online in shit weather.

This is interesting, the same realisation here too.

33% agree hmm...

I think it has had its day and is from what I gather from DS a bit passé and desperate as shows you don't have a life. He says Instagram is pretty much for people my age - early 40s.

Dd aged 19 and all her friends don’t post anything on social media (her instagram and her friends Instagram etc have maybe 1 generic photo of themselves on it) but they all still message and chat via social media. Just people don’t see it unless you’re in that particular group chat. I guess in some ways that’s safer… more opportunities for bullying for younger teens though I think - easy to feel left out, a bit like passing notes in class etc but 24/7.

Yes the bullying point is the other thing, he's told me not to let DD 11 have it due to bullying opportunities.