Brits are falling out of love with posting every thought online

Quiet feeds, louder doubts

Brits are posting less. Ofcom’s latest Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes report finds active posting, sharing or commenting on social media fell to 49 percent from 61 percent in 2024 — a sharp retreat in just a year. Most people now “like” or lurk instead of creating. Messaging and calls still dominate, younger adults watch far more video, and nine in ten internet users still log in to at least one platform, so this isn’t a mass exodus. It feels more like a mood swing: less brag, more browse.

The numbers that explain the mood

Trust and enthusiasm are cooling. Only 59 percent say the benefits of being online outweigh the risks, down from 72 percent last year; just 36 percent think social services are good for their mental health, and 67 percent admit they spend too long online on most days. More than half reported seeing false or misleading news in the past year; 43 percent cross-check stories, 40 percent peek at comments for clues. Use of online AI tools surged to 54 percent from 31 percent, with three-quarters reading AI‑generated summaries sometimes — yet 57 percent say they trust AI content less than human-produced material. The survey sampled 7,533 adults between September and November last year.

So what’s changed — and why it matters

It has been reported that people may be shifting toward “one‑stop shop” behaviours, leaning on generative AI chatbots and consolidated apps instead of hopping between sites and posting play-by-play of their lives. Whatever the cause, the effect is clear: users are more passive and more sceptical. That’s a big deal for platforms built on engagement metrics, for advertisers who chase attention, and for the broader information ecosystem fighting misinformation. Regulators and companies will be watching closely — for better or worse, social media might be morphing from a stage into a utility.

Sources: The Register