We just think it’s changed. And honestly, that’s what keeps things interesting.

Wait, What’s Happening?

In case you missed it, Mark Zuckerberg all but declared social media dead in recent FTC testimony. As part of an ongoing trial in which the FTC argues Meta holds a monopoly over social networks, Zuckerberg’s strategy has been to deny that Meta even qualifies as a social network anymore.

According to the FTC, social media apps are defined as “apps that people use to connect with friends.” Meta’s rebuttal? “We’re an entertainment platform.”

We don’t think those two things are mutually exclusive.

In fact, in their opening statement, Meta cited that time spent looking at posts from actual friends has dropped significantly—down to 17% on Facebook and 7% on Instagram. Our feeds have shifted from being about the people we know to being about creators, brands, and algorithmic entertainment.

But here’s the thing: social media was never just about friends. It’s always been about connection—giving more people the tools to create, relate, and build community. That hasn’t changed. It’s just evolved.

But Isn’t Zuck the Godfather of Social?

We’d give that title to somebody else.

Zuckerberg is far from the first to challenge the term “social media.” In fact, over the last few years, most platforms have actively tried to distance themselves from it:

• In 2016, Pinterest’s CEO said that they weren’t a social network.  
• In 2022, TikTok said they weren’t a social media platform
• In 2023, YouTube said they weren’t a social media platform
• In 2024, Snapchat’s CEO said they weren’t a social media platform  
  

Going back a decade or more, publications and thought leaders have been declaring social to be dead.

In the past four years, everybody from The Atlantic to Vice to Business Insider to Adweek has said the same thing.

It’s good to challenge our own thinking. It keeps us proactive, forces us to evolve, and gives us a chance to make sure what we’re doing is working.

So Why Does This Matter?

In a world where social is synonymous with entertainment, smart brands prioritize why people watch over what they watch.

Know What’s Noise And Decode Signals: 

We’re not just up against bacon memes and vacation selfies anymore. We’re up against pro creators, global celebrities, live sports, breaking news, and billion-dollar entertainment brands. Aka, high-quality noise designed to be digestible and addictive. 

The antidote? Storytelling that has value to the viewer. Value can be many things–a new connection, opportunity, education, or intel.

How do you find the value? Read the signals and decode the behaviors, desires, and mindsets on each platform.

Develop A Holistic Social POV:

Social is a different channel, and the user experience is what drives that. Watching Netflix isn’t that different from watching live TV. Listening to a Podcast isn’t that much different than listening to talk radio.

The way you use Pinterest is nothing like how you use TikTok, or how you use Snapchat. And even within those platforms, behavior varies by audience and category. Gamers and beauty fans might both live on TikTok, but they’re looking for totally different things.

Social-first brands know exactly how to meet those expectations. They track trends, adapt fast, and create content that doesn’t just show up; it belongs. Applying an audience-first lens to create content upholds the why people watch and drives them to share, save, send, and ultimately impact business goals.

The Bottom Line

Social isn’t dead. It’s more social and more entertaining than ever.

We believe in a future that keeps social social as long as humans need to connect. TikTok isn’t Netflix. Instagram isn’t Paramount+. And brands have a reason to be online if they seek to relate to these audiences and build brand advocacy.

After all, Instagram still prioritizes likes and shares in its algorithm, so even Zuck hasn’t made the switch completely.