A New Era Of Social Intimacy: Being Chronically Offline

In an era where our lives are increasingly dictated by algorithms and whims of tech billionaires, a new trend is emerging: the luxury of being offline, or not so online. What we’ve witnessed in the past 10 years is the evolution from an internet that aspired to connect society to an internet increasingly deploying efforts to influence it. As TikTok’s future remains uncertain in the US, one parent wrote into Adweek to share, “Can brands pivot quickly? Or, better yet, should this be a collective pause to reflect on how we approach engaging with the most loyal and chronically online demographic to date?” In a world of over-exposure, the greatest flex (and privilege) might become…being invisible. Away from the noise, away from the commodification of our every thought, and away from the hamster wheel that turns our attention into someone else’s bottom line. After all, "privacy" has long been the cornerstone of Apple's brand, consistently reminding us that as consumers, protecting our digital lives is something we should fight for.

While the most recent chapter of X caused some brands to question the “brand safety” of the platform, Meta's latest algorithm and platform updates, inspired by X, have the wider landscape now feeling a little bleak. “It's time to get back to our roots around free expression. We're replacing fact checkers with Community Notes,” said Mark Zuckerberg in a platform update this month.

A growing sentiment around the perks of being offline is more than just a vibe—it’s a recalibration. A recognition that private experiences might hold more value than virtual noise and that we have a right to question how our time and attention are used. While the broadest reaching features of leading social platforms have well-served marketers to date, the social movement surrounding recent algorithm changes carries some concern that they may now bring opinion to or favor certain content. In response, it's a moment worth considering how campaigns can integrate elements that broadcast more narrowly than wide, more socially intimate -- from Experiential Stunts to Substacks, or leaning more into features like Instagram's Close Friends and Snap’s Lenses.