July 14, 2026
Scroll, sigh, repeat
The great digital fatigue: How digital burnout is changing social media use
We’re still online, but everyone sounds one rage post away from logging off
TLDR: A new survey says many people are posting less, deleting stressful apps, and treating social media like a draining chore instead of fun. In the comments, readers weren’t surprised at all — they argued the real problem is endless scrolling, political fighting, and platforms that no longer feel social.
The big plot twist in the internet’s love story? People aren’t dramatically deleting every account in a blaze of glory — they’re just going weirdly quiet. The survey says 55% of people post less than they did five years ago, 53% are locking down who can see their stuff, and 47% have deleted an app because it was stressing them out. Younger users are feeling it hardest, with many saying being online now feels less like fun and more like an unpaid side job. The community reaction was basically: well… obviously.
That’s where the comments got spicy. One camp rolled its eyes at the article itself, with one reader calling “social media” a fuzzy buzzword and saying the whole thing felt like noise without clearer definitions. Another commenter dropped the bleak mic: social media isn’t really social anymore, it’s just machines feeding people endless stuff to keep them scrolling until their brains melt. And when the article said politics is driving people away, commenters did not hold back — the vibe was that the internet’s dream of thoughtful public debate has been flattened into ragebait, culture-war exhaustion, and arguing with strangers at 1 a.m.
There was humor too, naturally. “Everything happens quietly these days...” became the perfect deadpan joke for a story about people silently backing away from the timeline. Funny, but also kind of brutal. The crowd’s verdict? Nobody’s shocked by digital burnout — they’re shocked anyone expected this to end differently.
Key Points
- •Incogni surveyed 1,000 adults about social media habits, withdrawal behaviors, and emotional responses to disengagement.
- •55% of respondents said they post less than five years ago, and 53% said they are more selective about who can see their posts.
- •47% said they had deleted a social media or messaging app because of stress or anxiety, with higher rates among Millennials and Gen Z.
- •More than half of respondents said maintaining an online presence feels like work, with Gen Z reporting the highest level of this pressure.
- •44% said political content and polarization make them want to withdraw from social media.