Gen Z is Changing Online Culture
Updated: Feb 8, 2025
On average, teens and young adults spend over 6 hours on their phones daily, but they aren’t just consuming content, they’re shaping and rebuilding online culture all together.
Generation Z, those who were born between 1997 and 2012 are the first generation to have grown up with technology and social media at the touch of their fingertips. From trendy dances to funny memes, they thrive on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Gen Z is taking over social media, not just to enjoy their free time, but to also build authentic connections through the phone while breaking down challenging norms, and the barriers of fame.
The introduction of the popular social media app, TikTok, originally known as Musical.ly, has completely changed the game for all online platforms. In the early 2010’s, YouTube was the social media app, with millions of users from all age ranges uploading content in hopes of becoming famous. However, in August of 2014, the first version of Musical.ly was born, later becoming the most popular lip syncing and dancing app among kids, teens and young adults. This marked the beginning of the mass spread of short form content and a whole new digital media age. Before the merge, the app had over 100 million users monthly. Mid 2018, Musical.ly combined with another short form content app, TikTok. This opened the platform to a much wider age range, although Gen Z still dominated the “For You Page.” Bite-sized content became more and more preferred by the younger generation, since this was something the youth could enjoy on the go, on breaks or whenever they were free. Over time, watching long videos on apps like YouTube was just no longer preferred.
What made TikTok special was not only its attention grabbing videos, but also its unique algorithm. Each time a user interacts with a video, their FYP becomes more personalized and tailored to their interests. This made the app suitable for all different kinds of people.
“We've changed social media from a simple pastime to a way to stay involved in the world around you,” Tiffany Peterson, a Sophomore at Doral Academy Red Rock, said. “Social media has its downsides just like any other thing, but in general, I think it can be used for good things and it's up to the user to choose how they use it.” Users don’t just watch TikTok as entertainment, they also use it to stay connected, no matter where they are in the world. Still, many older adults critique the iGeneration for their high usage of social media.
“Older generations think Gen Z uses social media as a distraction, as a path to laziness when in actuality it can be a means for networking, creating, and support.” Zoe Nunez, a student at Southwest Career and Technical Academy, stated. “Social media makes it easier to check up on others, and be more in touch, especially if they are long distance.” With online platforms, making friends and staying in touch with friends, even if they are thousands of miles away, has never been easier.
“Social media has shaped my friendship and connections with others by letting me see their [my friends] lives when we're not together.” Adrienne Florido said. The creation of social media itself has allowed users to learn more about cultures other than their own, and to explore different passions that would not have been discovered without these platforms.
In addition to changing how people use social media, Post-Millennials have changed the content being consumed itself. The influence of Vine, another popular short-form content platform, pushed users to prefer humor and personality over perfectly curated feeds.
“I like when I can relate to a creator while I'm watching their content. If they're super down to earth and not just in their own world, it makes them stand out a lot more,” Peterson added. Youth plays a big role in promoting raw authenticity over scripted videos. This has also opened up the conversation for the once stigmatized topics, like mental health and social justice, to be freely talked about without pressure. Because creators were now opting to create more relatable content, it made it a lot easier for influencers to be vulnerable online, talking about their experiences with depression, eating disorders, and anxiety. The introduction of Gen Z to online platforms simply made it easier for people from all walks of life to just be themselves. When it came to social activism, these movements spread like wildfire. If there was anything that spread quicker than word-of-mouth, it was all the reposts on social media.
As more and more users sign up for all sorts of online platforms, they will evolve over time.
“In the next few years, I think social media is going to become more inclusive,” Sophomore Joy Park said. Generation Z will bring a fresh perspective, likely different from the more conservative generation that came before them. New trends will spark, but they will come and go just like any other. Memes, which is practically the universal language for all of Gen Z, will also come and go.
“Social media is going to have a huge impact on people's decision making skills, especially with what you eat, hobbies, and so on,” Gracie Siamundo, a student at McQueen High, stated. Many influencers are going to impact purchasing habits for Gen Z and the generations after them. Generation Z already has, and will continue to pave the way for online culture to embrace community, diversity, and authenticity while also building short-lasting but memorable trends.
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