HBR's Year in Business and Technology: 2021 (2 Books)

 

9

THE ERA OF ANTISOCIAL SOCIAL MEDIA

by Sara Wilson

Social platforms are still reporting robust growth—yes, even Facebook—despite a growing chorus of opposition. Social conversation continues to shape everything from culture to the media cycle to our most intimate relationships. And we now spend more time than ever on our phones, with endless scrolling through our social feeds being a chief reason why.

But dig a little deeper, and a more nuanced picture emerges about social media users today that has important implications for the ways in which brands reach customers. Specifically, when you look at who is—and more importantly, who is not—driving the growth and popularity of social platforms, a key demographic appears to be somewhat in retreat: ...