It became a hub for a very different sort of conversation than those hosted on other social media sites. [They’re] leaving the big social media platforms to find communities where they’re safe and there’s civility.”Ronson says any predictions he makes about the future of social media might be wishful thinking. “I think X will basically fade into the background as a reflection of the anger and disillusionment that’s out there,” says Little. “The big mistake a lot of people made was they thought that social media was inherently democratic. When Obama comes along and says, ‘Yes, we can,’ we all think social media is going to be a power for democracy.

Source: The Irish Times January 18, 2026 07:31 UTC