Tracing Change in Social Media Use: A Qualitative Longitudinal Study

This study reveals a significant shift in how users perceive and engage with social media over time. Our analysis is based on qualitative longitudinal research carried out over ten years, involving a small group of participants in 2012, 2017, and 2022. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted using stimulated recall allowing for retrospection and reflection. Through this methodology, we trace the shifting perceptions of social media users, from initially embracing these platforms for quick, fun, and social activities, to later recognizing their potential intrusiveness and seeking strategies to manage their use. We outline three central trajectories that illustrate shifts in social media use across time: from public performance to private interaction, from producing to consuming and from fun to problematic. For HCI and social media studies, these findings underscore the need to prioritize user agency, ethical design practices, and longitudinal research endeavors to understand the evolving impacts of social media.