People Are Posting Less on Social Media, So Why Is Screen Time Up?

New research shows people are posting less than five years ago, yet screen time is rising. Here’s what’s really going on.

A new report from Incogni reveals an interesting shift in how we use social media. 55% of people say they’re posting less than they did five years ago, and 53% have become more selective about who they connect with. Yet screen time is up, driven largely by algorithms pushing more short-form video into our feeds.

In other words, people are stepping back from the “social” and “posting” side of these platforms while consuming more content passively. Some commentators have started calling this “interest media” rather than social media. Over half of respondents also say maintaining a social presence feels like work, rising to 60% among Gen Z, and nearly half have deleted a social or messaging app due to stress or anxiety at some point.

There’s a digital detox trend emerging alongside this too, from phone-free weekends to dedicated “unplugged” breaks.

Watch the short video below, taken from our August 2026 social media marketing update, for the full data breakdown.

Understanding where your audience’s attention actually goes matters more than chasing post counts, and that’s exactly the kind of insight worth building into your strategy.