They certainly have an almost aversion to permanence and digital footprints. Generation Z is growing up in this era that has become very public. They don’t have the same private spaces they can explore, be weird, or discover themselves, that older generations like me, Millennials, grew up in.
Kim Garcia, a researcher on cultural trends on Instagram, told NPR:
Fake or closed profiles are on the rise. Precisely because they are trying to create safe spaces for themselves on social networks, young Gen Zers have created more accounts that are only available to close friends so they can post freely, Instagram revealed to NPR. While they realize the need for an “official” presence on the networks, most of their public pages still contain empty grids and complete stories.
Introspection may be related to mental health. Young people are very alert to the kind of mass backlash they can receive today, and many of them are already reporting a kind of “digital burnout.” Empty feeds are also a shield and protection strategy against bullying, self-image issues, and depression.
Empty feeds are also status symbols. Profiles associated with “Zs” are full of posts with Millennials, who are currently between the ages of 28 and 43 and, therefore, would be vulgar, exhibitionistic or “awkward.”
Worrying about the aesthetics of your feed is old-fashioned. The less you care, the cooler you become.
A Gen Z user, who preferred to remain anonymous, in the One Thing newsletter
Enemies of liberation One of Z’s pet peeves regarding millennial behavior is specifically the use of filters, over-correction of photos, and attention to color style in profile. Using all of these tools not only indicates that you care too much about appearances, as the interviewee above explained, but also indicates the creation of an artificial and unattainable image.
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