"Every experience went like this: I'd see a single post from one of the rare family members or IRL friends who are active on the platform. Next, I was fed a sponsored post, followed by suggestions to follow randos. After that, a series of influencer videos that, admittedly, appeal to my taste (funny/absurdist women and dissertations on urban planning). That was followed up with more sponsored posts, mostly from brands I'd looked up for work."
"Years back, the platform gave off a jolt of quasi-social connection that I'd spend hours sucking up. I fed on pointless thoughts from an ex-coworker, vacation reels from a college roommate, a half-baked loaf of bread that an old friend dropped on the floor but took a picture of anyway. Now it's a bare sliver of that stuff, shoehorned between towers of sponsored content and posts from people who make or promote their living on Instagram."
A return to major social platforms in 2025 ended quickly because feeds are dominated by sponsored content, creator promotion, and shoppable videos, erasing earlier authentic personal posts. Attempts to leave previously involved disabling notifications, removing apps from home screens, and deleting accounts, but rejoining revealed lightweight, repetitive content sandwiched between ads and influencer material. Instagram now shows occasional family or friend posts, but mostly promotes creators and brands. TikTok feels like a frenzied shopping mall with brief promotional clips. YouTube Shorts is flooded with AI-generated videos, reducing genuine connection and eliminating FOMO.
Read at Engadget
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