Why did our friends stop posting on social media?

[Onthemoooove]

I've noticed over the last year or so that my Facebook feed has changed dramatically - most friends now post rarely, if ever, and my feed is mostly full of ads, "full story in comments" articles, and AI crap. In turn, I've dramatically cut down how much I post. I now post around once a month and, a few years ago it was several times a week! The only thing useful about it is a couple of groups I'm in. Can't comment on Instagram & Twitter as I've never really used them and the likes of Tik Tok & Snapchat are alien to me (I'm old!). I then stumbled across this article which seems to sum it up perfectly.....

https://www.bbc.co.uk/worklife/article/20250722-social-media-user-changes-kyle-chayka-katty-kay-interview

Probably because they've realised it can be a very vapid and artificial way to connect with people. Maybe they prefer to be in direct contact with people rather than broadcasting about their lives. Also, online privacy and data harvesting concerns. I mean, that's mainly why I and many people I know don't post anymore.

If you click on your friends profiles you might find that they’re posting more than you think but Facebook algorithm now prioritises adds and click bait stuff that they have paid to have promoted.

Apart from that a lot of people are moving away from social media now for mental health reasons

They've grown up.

People have grown up, no longer have the need to air their dirty laundry on facebook.

Agree.

In Facebook, you can click on ‘feeds’ and actually see what your friends have posted with far fewer ads. But regardless yes, I used to post a fair bit more than I do now. I think I’ve probably just grown up and no longer feel the need for ‘likes’ or ‘shares’. My real life interactions are much better.

For a while, I've been clicking on "Feeds" then "Friends" but I'm lucky if there's more than a handful of posts a day from friends, and it's generally the same few friends that still post!

I agree OP, Facebook is rubbish now for the reasons you mention. I mostly keep up with friends by WhatsApp groups now. And meeting up in person of course!

According to a friend who has stopped posting, it was the bile and awful comments from other people. I never saw him post anything but the most anodyne stuff so what people took exception to, I'm not sure.

I have once or twice joined threads related to something I was interested in, such as an item on Channel 4 news. The comments people were leaving each other were aggressive and often unpleasant. I can see why people wouldn't bother.

I honestly can see anything on FB except reels and old news behind pay walls. The things I want to follow are hidden from me. So local business and community events I normally go to I miss.

I'm only on FB so they can store my photos free of charge and to see some SEN parent groups.

Someone needs to create a new version of it when you only see what you want to see again

It’s more visual/ photo based now. The statuses simply saying what you are thinking suddenly seem very naff and a lot like oversharing. I cringe a bit reading the majority of stuff on places like X, Threads etc too. Always seems like people who like the sound of their own voice.

Have they changed their profile so you only see certain things? I know you can do that on Instagram

Oh yes, definitely. I cringe when some of my memories pop up. I stopped posting rubbish years ago and now only post significant events like holidays & milestones but the compulsion to do even that is fading fast!

For the same reason as you op.

I think social media has ended up contributing to people's poor mental health.
Some people have come to the same conclusion and stay out of it now.

I'm only 'on' facebook but I rarely post. My experience is the same as the OP's - ads, articles and very little by way of friends' activity.

It has been spoiled by greed, bragging, nefarious and malignant posters, competition, unrealistic depictions and vanity.

This is why we can't have anything nice.

Because my kids are older, do less cute stuff and I feel different about posting about them now.

And Facebook itself has changed. Too many ads and other rubbish. But I an still involved in a few fb groups that are useful so I keep it.

I also miss the old Instagram where people just posted nice photos without too much chat or promotion.

I've been surprised to see in the memory bits which come up that my family had been so active on FB in the past ie: tagging all of us in something that connected with them but may have also laughed at ie: neuro divergent traits.
Nowadays I'd be horrified at that and wouldn't appreciate the privacy issues involved.A neighbour posts her entire life story, her breakfast, her mental health, physical health, relationships, rows she had with young retail assistants etc on FB.It's exhausting to even glance at and I hope people learn not to do this.
Employers still haven't got the message and I think this will be an interesting area to watch, my local supermarket videoed their assistants with toilet rolls taped to their heads recently, toilet jokes etc, all for a toilet roll deal.

No one really uses Facebook like they used to, especially when many joined as teenagers and are now adults. I barely use it and have removed so many “friends” or people I no longer speak to. Many are opting to remove themselves from social media entirely citing the affects it has on family life and relationships and causes a level of mental health problems in some people. It’s also become so filled with ads and influencers pushing ads at you every two minutes. It’s just a constant selling point now which is leading many into financial difficulty. We are also now becoming aware of the dangers of posting everything about our lives on social media sadly

I post more on insta stories these days - the baby days and pics of cute toddlers are done and my now teens don’t want their photos on Facebook but they will allow a few approved snaps on stories. I have Facebook still for a couple of friends still in it and a few fitness groups on there, otherwise it’s instagram. The teens are all on Snapchat and TikTok I think!

Personal SM has had its day. We are all aware of the damage it can cause to self esteem, how cringey it is and how putting up photos of our children is a really bad idea.

I stopped posting on or reading Facebook a few years ago because it was just a bunch of shit, too many ads and news articles. I’m not overly keen on getting news via social media, as part of the problem is that unofficial channels present their stupid takes in the same style as established or independent media & this is why a lot of people struggle with media literacy.

I do use Instagram to keep up with both friends and brands/influencers/organisations that I like, and that is mostly manageable at the moment. Gave up Twitter last year for similar reasons to Facebook, it had been getting worse since the Musk takeover and there were barely any genuine updates on my feed, just A.I. slop.

I agree, Facebook is ruining itself with this. The reason people go on there is to mainly see what their friends and family are up to, more so than instagram. I find my feed so frustrating, I often go and click on a friend’s profile and they HAVE updates, I just don’t get shown it.

Don't think I am shown many friends' updates either. Some...but not all. The feed is absolute noodles.

I think.a lot of people including myself, have got bored with it.

My SIL lives her life entirely through Facebook. She is in her 40s so would have joined when it was new and exciting. I'm 60 and never, ever got into it. She still does the ' sad face it's raining' type posts when everyone she's posting to lives in the same place. She also does the post a picture of A and E with no information thing so everyone can say ' you OK hun?" " Oh PM me hun". I find it absolutely cringe. My mum came off Facebook because her DIL was posting constant streams of bile about my brother and how hopeless he is ( he is a total knob). Massively common in my mother's eyes. Private things remain private.My SIL doesn't have that filter. Her mother attacked her father with a pair of scissors and was sectioned. SIL put it all over Facebook. Grim is as grim does