Poll: Many Gen Zers Are Posting Less On TikTok

A new Harris Poll reveals TikTok facing an early brand crisis among Gen Z, with many young users expressing declining trust, fatigue, and nostalgia for its earlier days.

Key findings show: 

• 60% of Gen Z trust TikTok less than before
• 74% are more cautious about engagement
• 25% wish the platform had never existed. 
• Among Gen Z creators, 49% are posting less, have quit entirely, or have migrated to other platforms—the most concerning signal for the app's future.

Despite high daily usage (65% of Gen Z still use TikTok every day), much of it stems from habit rather than enthusiasm: 

• 
  31% scroll out of routine, 
• 72% find content staged and performative, 
• 43% call it mentally draining, 
• 40% feel overwhelmed. 
• 79% miss TikTok's "good old days," citing too many ads, TikTok Shop, and algorithm shifts.

Harris Poll Chief Strategy Officer Libby Rodney notes the irony: the audience remains, but engagement and openness to marketing have eroded.

Other platforms show mixed perceptions among Gen Z. X/Twitter ranks most negatively (45% unfavorable views), followed by Snapchat, Facebook, and Instagram. 

YouTube dominates as the clear favorite, with 78% favorability and 66% daily usage. Substack is rising, already a daily habit for 11%.

Broader trends point to Gen Z pulling back from heavy screen time and algorithmic influence. Rodney predicts 2026 will peak the "touch grass" movement, with young consumers prioritizing offline life—joining running clubs, philosophy groups, and treating time away from screens as self-care. 

This marks a reversal from pandemic-era views valuing online identity over offline.

For brand marketers reliant on social media to reach Gen Z, the shift poses major challenges. Rodney advises focusing on helping people create real-world re-engagement moments amid growing ambivalence toward social platforms.