I remember the days when my Twitter feed felt like a battlefield. A sexist meme, a homophobic social media post, an Islamophobic comment — I couldn't let it go past my watchful eyes on social media trying to do "my bit" by raising my voice. Over the last two years, something changed. I started withdrawing from social media in a way that no one would be able to tell what my beliefs or politics are. And the year 2024 was my silent year. I posted selfies, obsessed over sunset photos, inundated my feed with videos of my cat, Sundari (who, by the way, has better engagement rates than my journalism pieces).

So, what changed? How did I go from being the outraged person on Twitter to a silent observer?

For one thing, keeping up with Indian politics these past few years has felt like being strapped to a rollercoaster in a never-ending loop. The protests that once fueled hope now feel like distant, fragmented memories. The systemic silencing of dissent, the constant barrage of bad news, and the rise of digital trolling have left many of us emotionally depleted. 

Then there's fear. What if someone finds something I shared on social media as a light note and uses it to discredit my work? I mean, we've seen many journalists face threats, lawsuits and harassment even for things like their social media posts. And 2024 added a new twist to this fear: everything we post is now potential training data for AI models. Sure, some platforms let you opt out, but Meta (where most Indians spend their digital lives) isn't one of them. 

You should read my colleague Archis’ story to know what you can do to restrict permissions.

Speaking of digital lives, did you know that the Oxford Dictionary's word of the year is "brain rot"? Brain rot isn’t just a quippy phrase; it’s a frighteningly accurate diagnosis for the way relentless online engagement has shaped our minds—and eroded our capacity to think deeply. Research from institutions like Harvard Medical School and King’s College London has found that compulsive internet use literally shrinks grey matter in areas of the brain responsible for memory, attention, and social cognition.

In 2004, the average attention span on any screen was two and a half minutes. By 2012, it was 75 seconds. Today? Just 47 seconds. 

So here's the plot twist – we're not logging off.

I'm part of that race too. I may be posting less, but am I scrolling less? That's where it gets complicated. Those endless nights of scrolling through Instagram Reels? Yeah, me too.

A Morning Consult survey from last October shows I am not alone in this retreat. About 61% of American social media users have become more selective about their posts, with roughly a third posting less than they did a year ago.

Here's what made me raise my eyebrows: it's the Gen Z and Millennials leading this digital quieting. Yes, the same generation that practically lives online. The same folks who taught their parents how to use Instagram and made TikTok a cultural phenomenon.

The numbers paint an interesting picture: 62% of the world's population is now on social media – that's more than double the 27% we saw a decade ago. Think about it: we've never had more people online, yet we're seeing this wave of selective sharing, especially from the most tech-savvy generations.

There’s not much data about social media usage of Indians specifically.

A few months ago, in the run up to the Lok Sabha elections, we asked first-time voters about what they post online, and the responses were telling. "You never know who gets picked up next," one respondent said, echoing a fear that's become uncomfortably familiar. Out of 80 responses, 78% believed sharing political opinions online could affect their relationships. Think about it: in a country where we once debated everything from cricket to politics over cutting chai, we're now thinking twice before posting a political meme.

It’s hardly surprising that Merriam-Webster dictionary’s word of the year 2024 is ‘polarisation. Although I want to say that clearly the Americans are late to this party. 

A while back Gartner had dropped a prediction that got everyone talking: by 2025, half of all users will either abandon or drastically cut back on social media. Their reasoning? Social platforms are becoming less appealing, with toxic user bases, misinformation, and AI bots making the experience increasingly hollow. As Emily Weiss, a principal researcher at Gartner, put it, “Compared to a few years ago, consumers are sharing less of their own lives and content.”

But let’s be clear: social media isn’t dying. It’s just evolving into something different. Social is becoming less social and more media. Your neighborhood aunty may not be posting daily inspirational quotes anymore, but she’s still watching every trending recipe reel.

The baton has passed. Regular users are posting less, leaving the content creation to influencers and content creators, while the rest of us watch quietly from the shadows. Increasingly, social media is replacing the TV channels. Video content is driving this shift—TikTok’s meteoric rise forced Instagram to embrace Reels and pushed YouTube to hold its ground in the video wars.

But where did the “social” part go? Turns out, it didn’t disappear; it just went underground. Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, admitted that posting has gone down, private sharing is thriving. DMs, group chats, and closed communities are where the action is now. We’re still engaging, just not in the spotlight. 

In my understanding, everyone is tired of the noise and yet there’s no evading social media, because FOMO. 

So here we are, on the cusp of 2025, asking ourselves big questions: What kind of internet do we want to build? One where every empty voice gets amplified? Or one where thoughtful connections thrive?

As we navigate this evolving digital landscape, perhaps there's wisdom in our collective pause before hitting 'post' or 'forward.' The instinct to share everything instantly – from unverified WhatsApp forwards to hot takes on breaking news – has often turned us into unwitting vessels for misinformation, contributing to the very chaos we claim to fight against. And honestly? Maybe those of us posting cat photos and sunset reels aren't just avoiding conflict – we're acknowledging a harsh truth about our digital age.

This isn't just digital fatigue; it's a recognition that sometimes, in a world of instant reactions and viral outrage, the most radical act might be choosing not to add to the noise. So if you find me sharing more pictures of my cat than sharing my thoughts on current affairs, know that it's not just exhaustion speaking – it's a conscious choice to step back from the perpetual cycle of digital outrage, and perhaps, in our own small way, to preserve what remains of our collective sanity in these uncertain times.

What about you? Have you posted less this year? Why? Write to me with your thoughts at [email protected].

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