Will Facebook and Instagram die? (And what will replace them?)

Will Facebook and Instagram die? And if so, what will replace them? Social media, and our relationship with it, has changed over the years and sometimes you can't help but wonder what will happen ...

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The rise (and fall) of social media

The advent of social media turned our world upside down. It was not only the established newspapers that could express themselves, but suddenly everyone could publish and take centre stage. Whether it was political discussions or happy holiday photos, everyone took the opportunity to appear, comment and discuss. It was a fun time!

The only question is whether it is as fun anymore? In Aftonbladet, Nicklas Hermansson, a frequent speaker on future and digitalisation issues, goes so far as to write that 2024 is the year social media dies. Referring to a study that suggests that up to 50 per cent of users may have left social media within a year, he argues that we are tired of lies, conspiracy theories, advertising and body fixation.

What is what and who is who?

In the early days of social media, scrolling through your feed was a carefree activity. You saw your friends' posts, with personal photos and texts, and you could interact and socialise for a while, while getting tips on the local flea market on Saturday.

But today? As I scroll my feed, I see lots of images of spectacular near-floating buildings in fairy-tale settings (AI art?) and English-language film clips of burly men rescuing babies from falling prams (directed films pretending to be "reality" to get clicks?).

There are popular influencers created by AI technology and it is not always possible to know which comments are real and which are fake. What is what and who is who? Is it a human or a robot I see? Who is expressing their 'real' thoughts and who is part of an advertising campaign?

If I want to see my friends' posts, I have to make an effort. I have a few tricks, like clicking on the top left corner of Instagram and selecting "Following" or "Favourites". It works for a little while, until I drop my phone to get a glass of water - then I'm outsmarted by the algorithm again and back among floating houses and cooing American babies.

But do we really want to be without Facebook and Instagram?

All this bickering with the algorithms and AI robots - the feeling of being a slave to something I don't fully understand - definitely makes me long for café visits where my friends show their latest photos straight from their mobile phone's photo album. But on the other hand, I have to admit that I have become accustomed to social media, and I almost wonder how life would work without it.

I mean, how am I supposed to keep track of people's birthdays without Facebook? Where do I ask questions about my motorhome's exhaust pipe if I'm not in the appropriate Facebook group? And where do I send messages to people I only have contact with via Instagram if Instagram disappears?

I can also admit that I still - at least to some extent - think social media can be fun. Posting pictures and stories on Instagram often feels creative, while getting quick and "close" contact with friends, acquaintances and readers. I really think I would miss it if it disappeared.

The death of social media - and what comes next?

Let's say that Nicklas at Aftonbladet, and the article he refers to, is right and that social media is falling asleep. What happens then? If we really get tired of arguing with the algorithms on Facebook and Instagram, and check in there less and less often, what do we do with all the time we have left? How do we choose to be creative (because honestly, social media is not only a place for social exchange, but also an arena for creation)? Where do we find information about what's going on in the local community?

If you were hoping to find the answer here, at the end of the article, we may have to disappoint you. We don't really see what will come "instead". Maybe we'll stick with social media to some extent - but choose to use it and relate to it in a different way? Perhaps we will start using calendars more and subscribe to well-chosen RSS feeds (web feeds) or newsletters? Maybe we even look up from our mobile phones for a little while now and then?

What do you think? Which social media do you use, and how do you use them? How has your use changed over time? Do you think the death of social media is coming and if so, what is the new hot topic?

And by the way: You can find us at Facebook at @freedomtravelnews and on Instagram at @freedomtravelnews

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