Meta winning its antitrust case against the FTC has raised questions about how we connect now.
The judge accepted Meta’s argument that traditional friend-to-friend social networking no longer reflects real user behavior. This argument became the backbone of the ruling.
The friend-driven timeline that once defined the internet is no longer the center of anyone’s digital life. Yet saying social networking is “dead” is too dramatic. It isn’t dead. It has evolved in such a way that many people didn’t even notice it happening.
The Feed Isn’t the Point Anymore
There was a time when following someone meant boosting their follower count. It would say something about yourself in the process. Now, people put a lot of thought into curating their feeds. Every follow is a reflection of a user’s interests.
The casual “I know them, so why not follow them” culture disappeared. People want their feed to feel like theirs. They only follow creators, friends, or communities that fit the version of themselves they want to see reflected back.
This shift alone breaks the old definition of social networking. The mindset Meta built its original empire on doesn’t match how people actually behave anymore.
The Real Social Life Moved Somewhere Else
If you want to understand why the old model collapsed, look at where people actually socialize now.
A lot of the meaningful interaction happens in private group chats, Discord servers, small communities. It’s now happening in spaces designed around shared interests. These aren’t public-facing relationships. They’re controlled environments where people choose their audience and how much of themselves to show.
Video games became social spaces. Virtual reality became a popular way to hang out with friends. Even something as simple as a co-op game lobby functions like a modern neighborhood. It’s where people talk, laugh, and build friendships.
None of that looks like classic social networking, but it absolutely is social networking.
So Is Social Networking Dead?
It depends on which definition you’re using. Do you define social networking as posting personal updates to a friend list? Then yes, that era is fading fast.
People don’t want to just broadcast their lives on a timeline anymore. They want intimacy, customization, and control.
If the question is whether people stopped forming connections online, the answer is an obvious no. Social media went from being a digital town square to a network of smaller rooms where people actually want to be.
Social networking didn’t die. It evolved into something new.
The platforms changed. The behaviors changed. The definition changed.What hasn’t changed is the core human need behind all of it. People still want to meet others, share experiences, or find community. They’re just doing it in ways that feel more personal.
