Done with doomscrolling? Why people choose to quit social media

Privacy concerns, mental health and the flood of misinformation are some driving factors that motivate social media users to delete their accounts, experts say.

Do you often find yourself doomscrolling on Facebook, spending excessive amount of time on Instagram and watching TikTok videos for endless hours? You’re not alone.

As social media apps continue to consume everyday life, more and more users are re-evaluating their time on online platforms. And there is renewed pushback after a damning testimony earlier this month by a former Facebook employee, Francis Haugen, who says the company’s products harm children and fuel polarization.

In recent years, several high-profile celebrities have either temporarily deactivated their social media accounts or chosen to log off for good for a variety of reasons.

Because these platforms are designed to keep people’s attention, abstaining can be an “uphill battle,” experts say.

“It’s what we call the attention economy,” said Shana MacDonald, a communications professor at the University of Waterloo.

“They have built their platforms to make sure that we spend the most amount of time possible on the platform,” she told Global News.

“That is how they make money, because they can show ads and also gather data from how we use their platforms, which makes them more money.”

Despite the addiction, concerns over privacy, mental health and the flood of misinformation are some of the driving factors that motivate users to switch off completely, said Macdonald.