Gen Z is “going ghost” on Instagram, but they always come back. “Ghost-posting” is when users archive a post—temporarily hiding photos from their grid—with the intention of unarchiving them in the future. Some Gen Z believe it’s a more authentic way of showing up online, as opposed to posting “for real,” which supposedly signals being in pursuit of attraction and engagement. They feel this gives them space to post photos meaningfully without misrepresenting reality. Rather than paralyze themselves over the pressures of like count, users are ghost-posting to alleviate stress and avoid permanently exiting the social media space. It’s a way to hold onto control when classic modes of engagement—likes, comments, and reactions—all feel extremely hollow. There are anti-surveillance benefits of ghost-posting too, with people using the archive feature to look presentable to dates, avoid losing out on jobs, and dodge doxxers. (Dazed)
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