Millennials, the first generation to grow up with social media, are increasingly feeling disappointed with the current state of online platforms. Once heralded as tools for connection and self-expression, social media giants like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have lost their luster, leaving many millennials feeling nostalgic for a bygone era.
In a recent article, Wired writer Jason Parham captures this sentiment, describing the “hole in millennial hearts” left by the fracturing and decline of these once-cherished platforms. He argues that millennials, as the bridge between the analog and digital worlds, are uniquely attuned to the loss of the “golden age of social media.”
Millennials came of age during the rise of social media platforms like Friendster, Blogger, Tumblr, Twitter, and Facebook, where they found community, expressed their creativity, and even launched careers. These platforms played a pivotal role in shaping their social lives and professional trajectories.
As social media has evolved, millennials have grown disillusioned. Platforms have become increasingly commercialized, data-driven, and algorithmically controlled, prioritizing profits over user experience and genuine connection.
Parham laments the loss of this golden age, expressing doubt that anything similar will emerge in the future. Social media, once a source of excitement and innovation, has become a source of frustration and disappointment for many millennials.
The sources for this piece include an article in BusinessInsider.
