The era of digital disconnection: are social networks dead?

Postmodernity, contemporary individualism, and new relational models on the internet have fueled countless theories in recent years about the end of social media. Whether or not social media will ever be “social” again has thrown collective doubt into the virtual abyss, a doubt that can only be resolved through real connection.

Whereas platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook were once used to generate some kind of social bond, find certain stimuli, and offer small doses of dopamine, now all those effects seem to be fading and remaining suspended due to the implementation of a design structured around consumption.

Social disconnection is projected onto social media in this era of emptiness. It becomes distorted, losing its meaning, disconnecting people instead of uniting them in a common project. A project to which we no longer belong, inhabited by advertising content, algorithms, and artificial intelligence, where reality blurs with fiction.

Online emptiness and “zero posting”

As some platforms survive on instant content, others are emptying themselves to become part of the silent “zero posting” movement driven by the younger generations. This is a latent trend in which users become mere “passive” spectators who simply scroll as a response to social anxiety or widespread digital fatigue. The system collapses when society decides that it is no longer worth sharing their lives, tastes, or creativity.

On the other side of the coin, content creators, influencers, and brands continue to promote their products, generating an endless, sugar-coated showcase of buying and selling interspersed with scenes of war and social injustice.

Algorithmic and politicized power is eroding these virtual spaces dedicated to social interaction and genuine human content, as they are run by tycoons and billionaires who control what we consume. All of this is leading to a collective exodus from social media by young people, who, nostalgically, are once again feeling a desire for the analog, as they consider the impact that social media has on their attention span and mental health.

On the other hand, there are those who, instead of disconnecting completely, are spearheading a movement to migrate to other networks such as Pinterest, where they can immerse themselves in beautiful content and find inspiration without the need to receive negative stimuli or make comparisons with unrealistic lives. For now, the idea of a major social alternative to traditional platforms seems unrealistic, as it cannot offer anything truly distinctive from what already exists. However, anything can happen. Perhaps in time, once all the online trash has been discarded, we will find a space where social media makes sense again.