He added that users are increasingly turning to private spaces
According to new research from Ofcom, fewer adults in the UK are actively posting on social media, as concerns about digital footprints and screen time grow.
The regulator’s latest Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes survey found that just 49% of UK adults now post, comment or share content on platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and X.
This marks a sharp decline from 61% in 2025, signalling a notable shift in how people engage online.
Ofcom said the drop suggests a rise in “passive” social media use, with more users choosing to consume content rather than actively contribute.
Social media expert Matt Navarra told the BBC: “People haven’t fallen out of love with social media, I think they’ve just become a lot more intentional about how they show up on it.”
He added that users are increasingly turning to private spaces such as group chats and direct messages, describing it as a form of “digital self-preservation”.
Ofcom also found that more adults are worried about the long-term consequences of posting online.
The findings are based on a survey of 7,533 UK adults aged 16 and over, conducted between September 29 and November 28 last year.
It examined how people use social media, access news online and manage their digital privacy.
Alongside declining posting activity, the report highlights a sharp rise in artificial intelligence usage.
More than half of UK adults (54%) reported using AI tools in 2025, up from 31% in 2024.
Ofcom said younger users are driving this growth, with four in five people aged 16 to 24 and three-quarters of those aged 25 to 34 using AI technologies.
The study also revealed widespread concern about screentime. Two-thirds of respondents (67%) said they sometimes spend too long on their devices.
In a separate report published in late 2025, Ofcom found UK adults are now spending 31 minutes longer online each day compared to the pandemic period in 2021.
Qualitative insights from Ofcom’s Adults’ Media Lives tracker, which follows 20 participants over time, reinforce the shift towards reduced posting.
Dr Ysabel Gerrard, a senior lecturer in digital media and society at the University of Sheffield, said digital fatigue may be contributing to the decline.
She said: “When social media first became popular in the UK in mid-to-late 2000s, posting written updates, photos and videos was novel and exciting, but it’s neither of those things anymore.”
The report also found a decline in overall sentiment towards being online.
While 59% of respondents said the benefits of the internet outweigh the risks in 2025, this is down from 72% in 2024 and 71% in 2023.
Ofcom noted little variation in attitudes between heavy and light users, suggesting widespread scepticism about online spaces.
The findings come amid a major shift in the social media landscape, where short-form video content dominates user feeds.
Platforms such as TikTok and YouTube are increasingly shaping how content is consumed, while features like Reels have transformed traditional platforms.
Navarra said: “Social feeds are no longer really about your friends, they are algorithmic, video-first entertainment platforms.”
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