The Next Generation Is Over It: Could a Digital Rebellion Be Brewing?
Brace yourselves: the kids are not alright with the internet. In fact, nearly half of young people in the UK would prefer a world without it altogether.
According to a new study commissioned by the British Standards Institution (BSI) and reported by The Guardian on May 20, 2025, 46% of 16- to 21-year-olds surveyed said they’d rather ditch the internet completely. Let that sink in. This is a generation born into high-speed WiFi and raised on YouTube, group chats, and algorithmically-served dopamine — and they’re already over it.
Here’s what else the study revealed:
68% say social media makes them feel worse about themselves
50% support a digital curfew (apps switch off after 10pm? Yes please)
42% admit to lying to guardians about online activity
40% use burner accounts
27% have pretended to be someone else online (hello, identity fatigue)
This isn’t just teenage angst or a passing phase — it’s the beginning of a deeper, cultural shift. While tech companies race to build the next dopamine trap, younger users are quietly, stubbornly stepping back.
They’re tired of the noise. Tired of being tracked, targeted, and emotionally drained by the very platforms designed to "connect" them. And frankly? I get it.
We're heading into an era where the most rebellious thing a young person can do is opt out. Where "unplugging" becomes a form of self-preservation. Where the cool kids don't want to be influencers — they want peace and privacy.
If you’ve built your business or social identity around always being online, it might be time to rethink the strategy. The next wave might not be about scaling your digital presence — it might be about reclaiming your human one.
Because when the next generation starts treating “being online” the way we treated dial-up — clunky, annoying, something to avoid if possible — you’ll know a real social revolution has begun.
Source: Almost half of young people would prefer a world without internet, UK study finds – The Guardian
