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UAE: Why Gen Z wants to limit their use of social media

Besides concerns about privacy, safeguarding their mental health, a desire to form meaningful relationships offline and explore the outdoors, have all kept such Gen Zers off these platforms

It’s probably easier to encounter the elusive snow leopard than find a Gen Zer who is not very active on social media. And what’s even rarer is a Gen Zer who is happy to be off it.

Ahmed Shaikhji belongs to that rare breed. “I use WhatsApp to stay in touch with my friends, and YouTube with a 45-minute timer to watch videos that reflect my hobbies like Minecraft and space. I am not on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook or anything,” explains the 14-year-old.

He is fully aware of how addictive and all-consuming social media can get — after all, he is surrounded by friends who are never too far away from their phones. “I know if I start using it more, I will not be able to stop,” he says. “It’s hard to get off even YouTube and do something productive, so I can imagine it must be harder to get off other platforms. Also, I don’t want to expose my life online. I don’t think that’s safe.”

Seventeen-year-old Egyptian Adham Amir Moustafa Mahmoud says he isn’t on platforms like Instagram, X and TikTok and almost never logs into Facebook. “I created an account just so that I could sign into other sports apps like Adidas Running and The Conqueror easily.” The Ajman resident prefers to hang out with his friends in ‘real life’, instead of being on social media. “I can’t find a reason to use it — it just doesn’t interest me,” he says, smiling. As a result, he is left with precious time to watch movies, swim, play football or squash, or hit the gym.

Gen Z (defined as people born between 1997 and 2012) has been described as the ‘the first true digital native generation’ — unlike previous generations, they grew up with mobile phones and the Internet. And while that may have its own benefits, experts point out that it can also blur the boundaries between what’s offline and online. Therefore, a small but increasing number of Gen-Zers like Adham and Ahmed are beginning to embrace a more cautious stance toward social media.

“Among the young people I work with, there are those who choose to limit their use of social media or stay off it entirely,” says Carolyn Yaffe, counsellor and cognitive behaviour therapist, Medcare Camali Clinic. And although such people are in a minority, she says “it appears to be a growing trend as more younger people develop an awareness of the downsides of social media.”

“Gen Zers choose not to share information with apps. They are more inclined to use privacy-oriented social media apps,” she adds.

Besides concerns about privacy, safeguarding their mental health, a desire to form meaningful relationships offline and explore the outdoors, and social media’s uncanny ability to alter the way people function have all kept such Gen Zers off these platforms. “I think my peers who are on social media are very driven by what’s trending there and that’s not always good,” points out Adham. “I also feel like they are not very social — they cannot interact with real people and they either prefer to interact only with certain people, or online.”

Ahmed, on the other hand, explains that he has lost friends because of it. “A few of my close friends and I have grown apart as they are always on their phones. They no longer want to go out, play and have fun.”

Gen Z’s digital habits

Gen Zers use the Internet differently as compared to previous generations like millennials, who ventured online only as they neared early adulthood. “One key difference in Gen Z’s digital habits is the seamless integration of technology into various aspects of their daily life,” explains Karen Hayre, a psychotherapist at The Psychiatry and Therapy Centre. “They are skilled at multitasking across different devices and platforms, using smartphones, tablets, and laptops interchangeably for communication, entertainment, and productivity.”

However, continues Hayre, while this offers them opportunities to connect and express themselves, they are also more susceptible to the negative effects of social media, like increased feelings of depression, inadequacy, insecurity, low self-esteem and loneliness, the pressure to curate a perfect online image, and a tendency to seek validation through likes, comments, and followers. “So some people may choose to stay off social media to protect their mental wellbeing and avoid the pressures of comparison and validation-seeking behaviour,” she adds.

Dr Kirin Hilliar, assistant professor of psychology, Heriot-Watt University Dubai, points out that Gen Zers are also more likely to use social media to curate an image or build their brand. “There is a lot more anxiety about posting, and this is more skewed towards females … There is a fear around how to package the post to make it look effortless, but still sophisticated,” explains Dr Hilliar, who works with youngsters to help them cleanse their feeds and timelines by observing which accounts make them feel good or bad about themselves.

Staying inactive online

Seventeen-year-old Artem* created accounts on Instagram and TikTok about four years ago but has yet to upload a post, reel or story. “I look at social media as a way to get new information rather than a way to express myself. So, I look at the news and other topics that interest me, like football,” says Artem, who lived in Russia and Singapore before shifting to Dubai.

Artem, who is currently interning at a therapy clinic, says he is reluctant to share personal information online. He also wants to avoid posting anything that could be construed as controversial. “And some of the comments on posts can be demotivating and even offensive. Once, a friend of mine posted a picture of himself. It was just a normal post, but people commented on his appearance and they were very negative and unsupportive. He ended up deleting it.”

Artem does, occasionally, toy with the idea of being more active online but says he is more likely to use them for professional rather than personal reasons in future. “My friends convinced me to upload a profile picture and I did, just about a month ago,” he says. The picture that we see, however, is so dark that his face is barely visible in it — just as he probably hoped it would be.

A tool to spread awareness

Yaffe points out that climate anxiety, a transforming financial landscape and Covid-19 have all had an impact on Gen Zers’ identities. “Gen Z is a socially conscious generation and cares about climate change, social justice and mental health,” she explains. “They use social media to raise awareness about these concerns, connect with people who share their beliefs and support causes that they are passionate about.”

Hilliar, too, has noticed a shift towards activism among younger people online — sometimes, not without repercussions. She cites the case of a young Arab girl who wanted to stay updated about the Palestine-Israel conflict and show her support by sharing information online and educating people about it. “But that meant she was spending hours every day online and exposing herself to a lot of distressing content,” explains Dr Hilliar. The two then had discussions about finding a balance, settling a daily limit on shares and channelling her energy in a different way by volunteering with a charity group.

The notion that Gen Z is hooked to their phones is not without basis, explains Yaffe, given their high level of connectivity from a young age. “Their frequent use of electronic devices stems not only from a dependency or addiction but also from the fact that these are intergraded into their lives day in and day out. And while it can carry potential negative repercussions, the narrative isn’t solely one of negative consequences. For many, these are platforms for empowerment, learning, and community building. Balancing these benefits with the downsides plays an important role in creating a healthy and balanced future for Gen Z,” she says.

*Full name withheld on request

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