Dynamics of (Not) Being Perceived: Grief and Relief After Leaving Social Media (networkcultures.org)

The article is a personal reflection on leaving social media, arguing that the shift from being perceived online to being largely unseen changes both emotional life and social relationships. The author describes relief from fatigue, paranoia, and guilt associated with platform visibility, alongside losses such as reduced connection, difficulty staying up to date on protests, and the grief of saying goodbye to identity-driven online habits. They also note that information overload and political engagement don’t disappear, but change form, and that privacy brings safety but may feel like surrender to online hostility.