Millennials were the first generation who got to witness the rise of social media, with all its buzz, sparkling in their eyes. They were the first to "friend" someone, "follow" someone and "share" something.

Gen Z turned the feed into a stage as they ran towards it; the digital nomads, who grew up during the peak of reels and trends, where picture-perfect posts ruled the social media.

And then followed Generation Alpha (Gen Alpha), whose world looked drastically different with screens talking back to them and artificial intelligence turning into their allies.

They are the generation who were born into smartphones, TikTok videos and memes. The ultimate social media prodigies, who learnt to swipe before they even learnt to spell.

Generation Alpha, born in 2010 or after, the ones who grow up in an era defined by rapid technological advancements and shifting social norms, might be quietly starting to veer in a new direction.

Have they been stepping away from social media? Why have they been pulling back from the personal posts?

The Age of Digital Natives

Generation Alpha is the first generation to be born entirely in the 21st century and is projected to be the largest generation in history, with estimates suggesting over 2 billion in 2025.

However, this group of 8-15 year olds are pulling away from spending time online. There has been a rapid decline in parents saying their child spends a lot of time on their devices (-10 per cent) and online (-7 per cent).

Surprisingly, there has been a decline in the number of Gen Alpha who have lost interest in watching television (-12 per cent) and also an increase in the number, with 43 per cent who say they would rather see their friends in-person and play sports over the weekend rather than being online.

Growing up in a world dominated by technology, artificial intelligence and virtual reality, they are fluent in the language of screens and devices from an early stage.

They are expected to influence over $4 trillion in spending by 2025, making their preferences and behaviours very crucial for businesses.

The Extreme Social Media Fatigue

The digital-first generation is clearly the one to observe the previous generations and watch their pitfalls through social media on a first-hand basis.

Although they may be born with the latest technology at hand, it does not mean they are readily accepting of the digitised world they are so helplessly a part of.

Gen Alpha is already experiencing the mental fatigue caused due to the exposure to social media and has become mindful of their mental health.

They are the generation who would prefer to go outside and disconnect from technology as well.

The pandemic certainly swayed their early social development and perhaps not to the best impact.

It is no surprise that they are gravitating towards nature and the outdoors after such a prolonged duration of being forced to stay inside, stuck with technology.

For this generation, promoting well-being and inclusivity by adopting a “whole-school approach” normalizes discussions around mental well-being, making impacted groups feel less isolated and more seen.

2 in every 5 tweens believe that talking about their feelings is important to them. This also shows the rising importance in the way they perceive mental health issues.

Certainly, this has a lot to do with the fact that their parents had resources like the internet readily available to them, and this may have resulted in a less traditional but more collaborative parenting styles.

This only proves to be the dominant reason why Gen Alpha is growing up more perceptive about world affairs, political, environmental and economic concerns while being intuitive of what the social media is capable of doing to them as the overwhelm and exhaustion are at the brim.

The Generation that Values Security

With internet being their dominant playground, Gen Alpha also grow up intuitively to know that data breaches and online surveillance are quite rampant at this point.

Major data breaches and ongoing debates about data privacy have put these tweens acutely aware of the risks that are associated with sharing too much on the internet.

A majority of teens, about 40 per cent – 6 in 10 – say that they have no control over the personal information that social media companies collect about them.

There is also an alarmingly growing number who has reported feeling pressure, anxiety and low self-esteem with the usage of social media.

As a result, Gen Alpha may prioritize platforms that offer greater privacy and security, or even choose to forgo social media altogether.

Unlike previous generations who were the beta testers of social media’s psychological effects, Gen Alpha is getting a front-row seat to the long-term consequences — and most of them are not impressed.

Shaping Perspectives: Peers, Parents and Personalities

Gen Alpha, being the only generation who are comfortable enough to have uncomfortable conversations with their peers regarding mental health and related aspects, are creating precedence in fostering healthy conversations in the public space.

When it comes to parents or popular influencers, they equally play a crucial role in shaping these young minds and their attitudes towards social media.

It is highly plausible for them to be influenced by their parents' experiences and the conversations surrounding social media usage.

The fact that 50 per cent of parents believe that social media could be deteriorating when it comes to their child's mental health and social welfare could in itself be a reflection that this is what contributes into healthy conversations between Gen Alpha and their parents.

This parental guidance could also lead Gen Alpha to adopt a more critical view of social media, potentially steering them away from platforms that do not align with their values.

The Slow and Silent Exodus

What we witness now is not a rebellion but instead a quiet retrace.

Their exit from these social media spheres is also quiet and slow. It is not happening with mass deletions of accounts on Instagram or TikTok while denouncing tech.

But there is a silent rejection of platforms that no longer serve them or their growing needs.

It is so ironic that the most digitally connected chose to disconnect, while the rest of the generations are completely unfazed by it all.

Gen Alpha is clearly expecting a huge elevation in the standard of content being put out on social media; a reimagination of what digital connection looks like: very demure, very mindful.

Edited by Harshajit Sarmah