Over the past few years, I’ve transformed into something of a social media ghost. I haven’t posted on Instagram since December, my tweets have dwindled from several times a day to a mere couple of times a week, and I can’t even recall the last time I logged into Facebook or Snapchat. Many of my profiles appear abandoned, and I’m not alone in this trend; people are spending less and less time on social media.

For over a decade, social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have brought people together. However, in their relentless pursuit of growth, these platforms have shifted from being places for genuine human connection to becoming channels for entertainment. As these major players degenerate into chaotic blends of noise and sponsored content, disillusioned users are seeking refuge on various smaller platforms.

Like many young individuals, I’ve sought solace in tight-knit private circles such as group chats. These smaller spaces, filled with friends and family, free me from the overwhelming pressure to overshare and convert every thought into potential work opportunities. Here, we escape the constant barrage of curated content, ads, and brand promotions. Instead of feeling like we’re loitering in a shopping mall, group chats resemble an intimate dinner at a friend’s house.

In response to the deterioration of the larger platforms, people are turning to a fresh wave of social media platforms that have emerged in recent years. Some of these newcomers strive to replicate the clutter-free, authentic social experiences that big platforms once offered, while others are experimenting with entirely new approaches.

While none of these nascent sites can rival the colossal size of the older, centralized networks, they offer hope. As users grow weary of toxic and addictive platforms that erode genuine social connections, this new generation of socially-focused platforms could lead to a healthier online environment.

Despite the apparent waning of big-platform dominance, it doesn’t spell the end of social media but rather signifies the dawn of a more promising era – welcome to the “Great Social Media Splintering.”

Stepping into the ‘pluriverse’

The major platforms, like Facebook, have long shifted their focus from “bringing the world closer together” to prioritize profit-driven and engagement-focused designs. This shift has had a detrimental impact on everyday users. Research indicates that social media can contribute to increased eating disorders, body image issues, and heightened polarization. Moreover, social media’s constant, unnatural nature has hindered our ability to communicate effectively.

However, my dilemma is not only fueled by these drawbacks but by the pressing question of which social network to invest in. As a freelance journalist, my livelihood relies on a public audience and staying abreast of current events. The fatigue I feel stems from my uncertainty about which platform to choose for posting.

Over the past year, I’ve migrated from one new platform to another alongside most of my network, experimenting with Discord, Bluesky, and Threads. The pattern repeats itself – I sign up, test it out for a few days, and ultimately abandon it. This nomadic social media existence is a first for me, and it begs the question: What is the future of social media?

According to Chand Rajendra-Nicolucci, a researcher in digital public infrastructure, a reboot is currently underway, and social media’s future may be “more private and more fragmented.” He envisions a “pluriverse” that comprises existing platforms and a host of “very small online platforms” that host intimate or niche conversations, poorly catered to by today’s digital public sphere.

The pluriverse is already materializing. People are active on numerous social media apps, using each for distinct purposes and audiences. On “public” platforms like LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter), I curate my presence carefully and utilize them for public broadcasting, promotions, and outreach. However, for personal interaction, I retreat to close-knit, private groups like iMessage threads and Instagram’s Close Friends list, where I can be spontaneous and personal.

But, while this current setup is functional, it’s a patchwork solution. It fails to provide the borderless experience that large platforms offer – a place to discover viral content, expand your network, and engage in global conversations. To address this, Rebecca Rinkevich, the director of the Institute for Rebooting Social Media, suggests that large social platforms may not die anytime soon. However, as people’s attention splinters across various platforms, engagement in online dialogues becomes a more challenging endeavor.

Mike McCue, CEO of Flipboard, proposes that the next significant social platform should blend the benefits of small, transparent communities with the capability for quality conversations to reach millions. Instead of one platform attempting to satisfy everyone, the future of social media appears to be a network of platforms that deliver a customized experience.

In this vision, users can move to new social apps without losing their network or profile. Moreover, they can connect these platforms so that one can post on one platform while a friend comments on it from another. An example is Threads, Meta’s attempt to build a Twitter replacement. It runs on the ActivityPub protocol, allowing Threads’ users to interact with Mastodon, an open-source social platform that employs the same coding system.

Think of it as living in a town where your home (account) is in the Threads or Mastodon neighborhood. You spend most of your time in the privacy of your home, conversing with close friends in group chats and private lists. However, you also venture out to the global town square to discover what people in different communities around the world are discussing. Sometimes, you even contribute to the conversation or promote your work. This open, decentralized system would dismantle the walled gardens of large platforms and grant users more control over their social media experience.

This shift has the potential to reduce bias, polarization, and the negative health effects associated with excessive news overload from social media. It represents a more balanced and regulated online lifestyle.

In conclusion, the splintering of monolithic social media platforms and the rise of diverse social experiences is a long-overdue turn of events. It has encouraged millions of users, including myself, to reassess our online behaviors and embrace a healthier relationship with social media. While we can’t predict what the next major social platform will look like, in the meantime, we’ll continue our nomadic online social journey across various platforms, reflecting the diverse audience we seek to engage with.

By Impact Lab