The surprising social trend among young adults in 2025: McCrindle Research survey reveals shift in tech, work and shopping views

A new survey shows Generation Z is leading the shift on how we as a nation feel about social media. And the results may shock you.

They may well be the nation’s most tech-savvy adults but more than half of Generation Z – or Zoomers – rue the creation of social media, according to new research.

It finds 86 per cent of the young adults, born between 1995 and 2009, have taken steps to try and reduce the time spent on social media with 57 per cent saying they wish social networking didn’t exist at all.

The insights, showing a “shift from tech optimism to tech scepticism”, are revealed in a nationwide survey by McCrindle Research which seeks to identify trends ahead of the new year.

Principal of the demographic research firm, Mark McCrindle, said while more than a third of daily social media users (35 per cent) spend three hours or more on social media platforms, the “vast majority” want to taper off.

“In a digital-first era, there is a pendulum swinging away from digital overload and towards digital detox … 44 per cent of Australians agree social media has a negative impact on their health,” he said.

It is the younger generation who are most likely to say social media is having a negative impact on their mental even though seven in 10 (71 per cent) admit they find it difficult to disengage due to the addictive qualities of social media.

Gen Z mates Archie Allen, Jemima Bell and Harry Oates set phones aside to catch up and share a laugh face-to-face. Picture: RoyVanDerVegt.

“More than two thirds of Gen Zs (67 per cent) recognise it has a negative impact on their mental health with almost nine in 10 having taken steps to reduce their social media usage and 26 per cent trying a ‘complete digital detox’,” Mr McCrindle said.

“We are seeing across society a desire for meaningful human connection … there is a doubling down on that traditional, personal, physical and embodied experience of life, recognising the superficiality of everything in a virtual setting.”

It is a sentiment that rings true for Harry Oates, 19, of Beulah Park.

“I actively try to take time off social media; I prefer seeing my friends face-to-face … we have so much more fun laughing, playing sport or going out together with no phones,” he said.

Social researcher Mark McCrindle says there is ‘a doubling down on that traditional, personal, physical and embodied experience of life’. File picture

Also revealed in the nationally-representative survey of 1500 Australians is how the cost-of-living squeeze is causing more to compromise their values to live within their means.

“While there has been a growing interest in ethical and environmental goods, particularly among younger generations, reality is starting to replace ideals,” Mr McCrindle said.

“More than half of Australians (57 per cent) say they have had to compromise their social responsibility values to purchase a cheaper product.”

A “productivity paradox” was also highlighted with 50 per cent of workers feeling they spend “all their time co-ordinating rather than actually doing their work” with those most engaged in their workplace more likely to try to “work smarter not harder”.

Originally published as The surprising social trend among young adults in 2025: McCrindle Research survey reveals shift in tech, work and shopping views