A flurry of developments around artificial intelligence tools and applications in the past year might suggest a lull in social media patterns and usages. But a closer look at how people engaged on some of the top social media platforms tell a different story.
Current estimates show that over 5.6 billion people maintain at least one active social media account. The average user now juggles accounts across nearly seven platforms, from messaging apps to video feeds and professional networks. Each handle represents a carefully curated digital persona, maintained not just for self-expression, but to remain socially and professionally visible. What began as a tool for connection has quietly evolved into a continuous obligation.
A persistent myth underpins this system: that social media is free. After all, there is no upfront payment, no monthly invoice, and no credit card required at sign-up. But the absence of a price tag does not mean the absence of a cost. Instead of money, we pay with something far scarcer. Time and attention.
Only a few years ago, average daily social media use hovered around two hours. This trend seems to be going up to two and a half hours per day, driven largely by short-form video and algorithmic feeds designed for frictionless consumption. That adds up to more than 75 hours per month, which is nearly two full workweeks devoted solely to scrolling.
The cost becomes clearer with a simple calculation. Take your monthly income and divide it by the number of hours you work to estimate your true hourly value. Now multiply that rate by the time you spend each day on social platforms. The result is the implicit “fee” you pay for scrolling through digital feeds. For many people, this hidden cost rivals discretionary expenses like dining out, watching a movie, or even a portion of rent. The difference is that unlike money, these hours are permanently gone.
Platform-level data makes the scale even starker. On TikTok, Android users globally average more than 30 hours per month, largely consumed in rapid-fire bursts of short videos. Similar dynamics exist across Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook, where recommendation algorithms are optimised for user retention. The longer you stay, the more data you generate, and the more valuable you become to advertisers on those platforms.
This environment is now being fundamentally reshaped by generative AI content. The rise of what some call “AI slop” has dramatically increased the volume of content flooding social feeds. (AI slop is low-effort, mass-produced text, images, and videos generated at near-zero cost.)
AI makes it possible to publish hundreds or thousands of posts a day, often optimised for engagement signals rather than substance. As a result, platforms are becoming frothier, noisier, and harder to navigate.
This explosion of content cuts both ways for engagement. On one hand, more content gives algorithms more material to test, remix, and personalise, which can temporarily boost metrics like watch time and impressions. On the other hand, over-saturation risks diminishing returns. When feeds are dominated by repetitive, shallow, or misleading AI-generated posts, users can experience fatigue, mistrust, and disengagement.
Early signals already suggest a bifurcation: passive scrolling time may rise, while meaningful interaction declines.
In an ecosystem flooded with infinite, instantly generated media, focus itself becomes the most valuable commodity. What we choose to ignore may matter more than what we consume.
Social platforms can still be powerful tools for learning, collaboration, and creativity. But only if we remember that “free” has always been the most expensive price of all.
Published – January 03, 2026 08:35 am IST
