TL;DR
A personal essay by Daniel Brendel argues many users are exhausted with modern social media, recalling an older, less commercialized internet. He explores alternatives like Mastodon and Bluesky but finds engagement thin and concerns about ads, hate speech, misinformation, and AI-amplified clickbait driving disillusionment.
What happened
Daniel Brendel published a reflection questioning whether people are collectively tired of social media. He contrasts today's always-on, platform-dominated landscape with early internet tools—ICQ, MSN, IRC, Skype, TeamSpeak, Ventrilo, Mumble and forums—when users logged on from desktops and communities were more localized. Brendel argues commercial consolidation around a few large networks (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Reddit, Twitter) has shifted incentives toward sensational, ad-driven content, producing bubbles, hate speech and misinformation. He explored federated alternatives such as Mastodon and later Bluesky, initially finding promise in open-source, non-algorithmic feeds but ultimately experiencing low reciprocal engagement and drifting away. The author says he now mainly posts technical updates and does not actively pursue broader social connections online, while noting others he speaks with report similar fatigue.
Why it matters
- Platform consolidation and commercial incentives can change the nature of online interaction and community building.
- Monetization models that reward outrage and sensationalism may increase hate speech, misinformation and low-quality content.
- Emerging decentralized alternatives face a challenge: technical openness does not guarantee active, reciprocal communities.
- Declining online social engagement can spill over into real‑world relationships and professional support networks.
Key facts
- The piece was written by Daniel Brendel and posted on his blog; publication metadata lists 2026-01-06.
- Brendel recalls early internet communication tools including ICQ, MSN, IRC, Skype, TeamSpeak, Ventrilo, Mumble and forums.
- He identifies major modern platforms as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Reddit and Twitter.
- The author cites concerns about ads, hate speech, misinformation, and AI-generated rage or click-bait content as drivers of fatigue.
- Brendel reports trying Mastodon in the Fediverse and later moving to Bluesky, finding initial promise but ultimately low engagement.
- The essay references the concept of 'enshittification' and points readers to a Wikipedia article for further background.
- Brendel says he now posts mainly development-related items and does not actively pursue broad social interactions online.
- The post includes a line attributing a source as 'World Happiness Report' though context for that citation is not expanded in the text.
What to watch next
- Whether Mastodon, Bluesky and the wider Fediverse can sustain two-way engagement and rebuild active communities.
- How platform monetization and AI-generated content evolve, and whether that will amplify or reduce ragebait and misinformation.
- not confirmed in the source: whether measurable user abandonment of mainstream social networks will accelerate or reverse.
Quick glossary
- Fediverse: A collection of interoperable, federated social platforms that communicate via shared protocols, enabling decentralized social networking.
- Mastodon: An open-source, federated microblogging server software often used as an alternative to centralized social networks.
- Enshittification: A critical term used to describe the perceived degradation of digital platforms as commercial interests override user value.
- VoIP: Voice over Internet Protocol; technology that delivers voice communications and multimedia sessions over the internet.
- Clickbait: Content designed primarily to attract attention and encourage clicks, often using sensational or misleading headlines.
Reader FAQ
Did the author leave mainstream platforms?
The author says he left Twitter for a time and later tried Mastodon and Bluesky; his engagement on those alternatives waned.
Is there evidence social media makes people unhappy?
not confirmed in the source.
Does the author think decentralized platforms solve the problem?
He found aspects of the Fediverse promising but concluded they did not resolve the core issue of low two-way engagement.
Are AI-generated clickbait and outrage increasing?
The author asserts that AI-generated rage and clickbait are worsening across platforms.
Are we tired of social media once and for all? Posted by Daniel Brendel 9 months ago I've been asking this question to myself a few times now. When I…
Sources
Related posts
- Brave refactors Rust-based adblock engine to cut browser memory use
- Pluribus nearly had 100 alternate titles — Vince Gilligan names the worst
- Self-hosting a media library on Hetzner with Jellyfin and WireGuard