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Fears Over Old Posts Drive UK Users Away From Social Media
2 Apr
Summary
- UK adult social media posting dropped from 61% in 2024 to 49% last year.
- Concerns about historic posts damaging future prospects are rising.
- Active AI use in the UK has significantly increased among adults.
UK adults are becoming less active on social media platforms, with the percentage of users posting, sharing, or commenting dropping to 49% last year from 61% in 2024. This decline is driven by a dual influence: the rise of video-focused applications such as TikTok and Instagram Reels, and growing concerns over the permanence of online content. Users now fear that old posts could resurface and negatively affect their future personal or professional lives.
Concerns about the long-term impact of online activity have risen, with 49% of adults worried about past posts causing issues later in life, an increase from 43% in 2024. Data privacy violations also contribute to user apprehension. Despite this trend, social media use remains widespread, with 89% of adult internet users engaging with at least one platform.
Concurrently, the use of Artificial Intelligence tools has surged in the UK. Over half of UK adults (54%) now use AI like ChatGPT, a significant jump from 31% in 2024. This includes using AI for conversation and creative tasks, with some users even interacting with AI as if it were a person.
