Has anybody talked to their friends on Facebook recently? Me neither. It’s not that I haven’t tried. Every time I login, unfortunately, I see one person’s organic post for every five paid posts. I lose interest, and I leave to check out the scores on ESPN instead. 

I’m not the only one leaving so quickly. Since 2020, Facebook has experienced a 4% drop in its American user base. That may not seem like much, but considering the U.S. is home to almost 214 million users, 4% equates to nearly 10 millions people walking away in less than 5 years. Even more alarming is the fact that only 7% of Facebook users aged 13–17 are still active on the platform. The future doesn’t look bright for the social media platform I joined as an early adopter in 2005.

The Search for Authenticity
Are fewer people contributing to the lack of interaction on social media? I highly doubt it. According to Keith Quesenberry in, Social Media Strategy, Facebook still has 2.9 billion daily active users. What’s missing is the thing we're all looking for — authentic stories.

Clearly, people are finding those stories on the platforms they're moving on to. For the active professional, that platform has become LinkedIn — to the tune of 810 million users every day. While advertising exists on LinkedIn, users can still interact with the content they want. LinkedIn is home to the helpful tips, practical advice, and personal experiences we want. More importantly, we don't have to sift through AI slop to find it.

The Rise of "AI Slop"
What's AI slop about? AI slop is the eloquent term used to describe low-quality, generic content created by artificial intelligence. I’m sure you’ve noticed the mass-produced content that’s permeated our social feeds with very little thought, depth, or… humanity. It’s the kind of copy that includes repetitive phrasing, factual errors, poor formatting, or a general lack of originality. Critics warn that AI slop can clog the internet with noise, making it harder to find trustworthy and well-crafted information. The worst part of AI Slop for me? There’s simple no story.

The Opportunity for Storytellers
I get it — Storytelling is tough. It takes careful planning and a tremendous amount of deep thinking. A strong story is almost never told on the first draft. Multiple rounds of editing is required, along with fact-checking and proofreading. Because so many stories are developed with audio and video today, there’s a certain amount of technical ability that’s often necessary. Sketches need to be drawn. And that’s not all! Storyboards need to be created, scripts written, video taken, and audio captured. 

I haven’t even scratched the surface of the entire process that’s usually needed to tell a good story. Why is it, then, that those rare occasions exist when I login to Facebook and find myself enamored with a long-lost friend’s post? I recently discovered an extensive collection of signed WWE memorabilia that made me think, Greg was a wresting fan too?! It probably took him 5 minutes to post those pictures and write a short description. And I ate it up.

Amidst all the advertising and AI slop, Greg took the time, however brief, to share real content. This simple act has seemingly become a lost art. Imagine if the people who created content for a living — for non-profits, local business, or big organizations — took a similar approach. What if they shared content that was relevant? Or helpful? What if they shared their story? Perhaps some of us would think twice before leaving social media so quickly.