By Emma Runevad, Strategist, SuperHeroes
For a generation raised on the endless scroll, something surprising is happening. Gen Z is ghosting social media.
Feeds are stalling, grids are emptying, and once-active profiles sit frozen in time. But this disappearance isn’t digital burnout or a rejection of being online. It’s a shift toward something more intentional: the new cosy web.
Coined by Venkatesh Rao, Cosy Web describes the messily human corners of the internet which used to be chat rooms and messaging services. Now, that extends to any space that bots and algorithms haven’t yet infiltrated. Spaces built on trust, intimacy, and selectivity.
Through The Robins, a collective of Gen Z voices, we set out to understand why young people seem to be rejecting social media and what brands can do about it.
The cosy web has entered the chat
Gen Z’s retreat from the feed didn’t happen overnight. Once, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat felt like places for friends. Then, over time, social platforms evolved into algorithm-first ecosystems where content is shaped by brand interests. Young people began to feel like performers rather than participants. So feeds are going silent.
That silence isn’t absence, it’s migration. Gen Z hasn’t logged off, they’ve moved inward. They’re gathering in smaller, quieter, more intentional spaces e.g. Discord servers, private group chats, close friends lists, and niche newsletters. Instead of broadcasting to hundreds, Gen Z is choosing to connect with five, ten, maybe twenty people who genuinely matter.
Importantly, Gen Z isn’t rejecting major platforms. They’re repurposing them. A single public post becomes a kind of placeholder identity, while their real selves live in smaller rooms. Some even maintain dual accounts: one for the persona, the other for the person.
These spaces feel human in a way the feed no longer does. As one student from The Robins put it, “I check Instagram for my close friends, not for what’s trending. That’s where real life happens.” This is the new cozy web.
A generation seeking depth
Brands often diagnose Gen Z’s shifting behaviour as an attention deficit problem. But that misses the point entirely. What this generation is experiencing isn’t a shortage of attention, it’s a shortage of meaning. After years of being served algorithmically optimised sameness, they’re craving something that feels alive and thoughtful.
This explains the rise of long-form engagement among young people. Another respondent said, “I love video essays, but people make fewer now because short videos pay better.” These video essays, book club newsletters, podcast deep dives, and creator content all prioritise story over spectacle. Gen Z isn’t drifting away from digital life, but they are searching for a version of it that feels emotionally nutritious.
Many describe this shift not as avoidance but as nourishment. One young creative said she swapped her TikTok commute scroll for weekly newsletters that “felt real again.” She added, “there was nothing coming in, I needed something more in depth.”
Clearly, what Gen Z values most online is relevance. When they find creators or communities that deliver depth – through shared playlists, art circles, or niche Discord groups – they stay and engage willingly.
How can brands get invited?
First of all, the cosy web is designed to prevent brands from buying their way into it. And Gen Z notice when a brand intrudes on their space. The latest quarterly Pulse Survey reveals that 58% of social media users want brands to prioritise engaging with their audiences, while only 25% are interested in brands participating in the latest memes.
So how can brands participate in this new normal?
It’s all about earned connection. Gen Z can spot hollow engagement instantly. So brands don’t need broader reach, they need to target these communities on a microscopic level. Gen Z know this too, as another participant in The Robins said: “if brands want to engage, they need to lead by action first.”
Think about what these audiences want and offer it to them. If they are into a certain podcast, newsletter or book genre, offer insights, tips and tricks or even events that enrich their interests.
Brands need to be brave enough to throw out the usual KPI playbook and focus solely on brand loyalty to be part of the cosy web.
Getting cosy
The attention economy is evolving from visibility to connection. Gen Z hasn’t rejected social media, they’ve rejected its inhuman iteration. They are creating something smaller, slower, and infinitely more meaningful.
And the question every brand marketer needs to ask themselves? How do we get invited in?
