How the lack of real connections is giving rise to a new-old way of thinking and doing social media.
Every now and then someone kills off a social media. This has been part of internet culture since the New York Times published that now famous story that talked about people leaving Facebook, in 2009. Since then, this idea has been aired from time to time, despite the constant growth of platforms. The statement that “social networks are dying” is not supported by the data https://bit.ly/4guHhbs, which indicates more than five billion active users globally. The question about the future (and present) of social networks is not about abandonment of use. What is happening is a search for real connections and this is giving rise to a new-old way of thinking and doing social media.
Recently, The Atlantic went viral (how ironic) with a story in which the reporter explained why he hates Instagram. The reporter’s argument makes sense: originally a platform for sharing moments with friends, Instagram has become an obstacle to these connections. The author reports of frustration with the evolution of the application, which started prioritizing the display of viral content, such as “reels,” rather than posts of friends and family. Aiming, of course, to increase profit, the platform diverts user attention to short and engaging videos, promoting an experience that, although captivating, alienates the initial purpose of personal connection.
In a blog post, digital consultancy Broad discusses the growing awareness of Gen Z about the negative impact of excessive use of social networks on their lives, especially in terms of mental health. As this generation ages, now adults, the social pressure to be constantly connected has eased, allowing many to choose to reduce their time online. This trend suggests a shift in the way people, especially younger people, are prioritizing their time and interactions online. In other words: the search for a new way of being social also involves generational and health issues.
In a recent campaign, Heineken poked fun in this direction by launching the Boring Phone, in partnership with HMD mobile phone manufacturer. With a modified version of the Nokia 2660 Flip, the beverage giant created a campaign that encourages people to connect by talking in person, without the istractions of the internet and the dozens of applications available on smartphones. It was approved for sale in Brazil as of July.
Heineken’s reading is accurate when looking at this scenario in which we see a change in how we see social networks and is directly linked to the search for real connections. But what are the new social networks that invest in different ways of socializing online, with more focus on the user? We list some examples below:
NoPlace
Noplace is a new social media platform that recently became popular by opening to all users after a period of invite-only access. Presented as a kind of “MySpace for Gen Z,” the platform allows users to customize their profiles with themes and colors, similar to what many did in the early 2000s on sites like LiveJournal and MySpace.
Cara
Recently, Meta began using content posted on Instagram to train its AI tools, which raised concerns among artists. Many of them are switching to Cara, which presents itself as an alternative that protects works of art against use in AI training. This app only allows content that is clearly labeled as AI-generated and protects images with “NoAI” tags. The app grew quickly, with the user base jumping from less than 100,000 to more than 300,000 in just a few days, driven by artists’ concerns about the appropriation of their works by AI.
Airchat
Airchat is a new social media platform that mixes elements from Twitter and Clubhouse, allowing users to post voice messages that are automatically transcribed. Founded by Naval Ravikant and Brian Norgard, the app aims to create a more intimate online interaction experience, allowing users to hear the voices of their followers instead of just reading their words.
A possible return of Brazil’s favorite
Orkut, popular in the 2000s, once again became one of the most talked about topics on social media after Brazilian users began to reminisce over the communities that the platform offered.
Exactly within the profile of a new social platform, seeking real connections, Orkut communities, which served as discussion forums, brought together people with common interests and ideals. The nostalgia was such that the founder of the Orkut Buyukkokten website commented on a possible return of the platform during his visit to Brazil for Rio Innovation Week.
He highlighted the desire to revive the authentic spirit and genuine connections that Orkut provided, in contrast to today’s social networks, dominated by marketers and influencers. Orkut did not provide an exact date for the relaunch but indicated that it is working on it and intends to include executives from São Paulo in the project.
