For more than a decade, social media has been the centrepiece of digital life. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok and YouTube shaped how people communicated, learned, and even entertained themselves. But the dominance that once seemed unshakeable is now facing a quiet but significant disruption.
A new global study by the Digital Ounce Institute, covering more than 250,000 respondents across 50 countries, reveals a clear trend: young users are stepping back from social media faster than ever before. While 2022 marked the peak of worldwide engagement, the time spent on these platforms has dipped by nearly 10% by 2024.
AI-Generated Noise Is Ruining the User Experience
One of the biggest reasons behind this decline is the explosion of AI-generated content.
Once known for creativity and authentic conversations, social platforms are now flooded with bot-written posts, synthetic videos, repetitive reels and mass-produced misinformation. Users say the feed feels “fake,” “cluttered,” and “tired.”
The freshness that made social media addictive has been replaced by low-quality, automated sameness.
Besides AI clutter, users also point to:
●Rising negativity and conflict-driven posts
●Repetitive trends and monotonous reels
●Unsolicited suggestions, autoplay spam and irrelevant recommendations
Young users told researchers that platforms feel more like “digital noise factories” rather than sources of inspiration or entertainment.
India Follows the Global Pattern: Time Spent Falls 10%
India, one of the world’s largest social-media markets, mirrors this worldwide dip.
According to Comscore Inc.:
●June 2023: 11 billion hours spent on social media
●June 2024: 10 billion hours
●Drop: 10% in one year
Interestingly, active user count remained almost the same—486 million to 485 million. People still sign up, but they no longer stay online as long.
Experts say this marks a behavioural shift, not a decline in popularity.
Developed Nations Also Cutting Back
Users in developed countries still scroll for an average of 2 hours 20 minutes daily, but even there, the trend is downward.
With growing global awareness about mental health, productivity, fitness, and digital detox, younger people increasingly prefer:
●Real-world hobbies
●Outdoor activities
●Mindful routines
●Offline socializing
Social media is no longer the default “escape zone” it used to be.
What’s Next? Experts Warn Platforms to Wake Up
Analysts believe the future of social media depends on how quickly companies address:
●AI clutter and synthetic spam
●Falling content quality
●Negativity in feeds
●Irrelevant recommendations
●User fatigue from repetitive short videos
Without restoring authenticity and improving content curation, experts warn that even the biggest platforms may struggle to retain young users in the coming years.
