Incogni report: Privacy concerns drive American social media retreat

A new report by data privacy company Incogni reveals that privacy concerns and digital fatigue are driving a retreat from social media among Americans. The study, titled ‘Stressed-out, exposed, and beleaguered by slop: How attitudes towards the internet are changing in 2026’, follows previous research indicating that over half of surveyed Americans post less on social media than they did five years ago.

Key findings from the analysis include that 52% of Americans believe their personal data will be exposed in a data breach, with 63% of those expecting a breach reporting anxiety over the possibility. Additionally, 50% of respondents expressed regret regarding sharing personal information online, and 48% stated that AI-generated content has made it more difficult to discern reality online.

The report also notes that 58% of participants have deleted at least one social media or messaging account due to stress, anxiety, or privacy concerns, with 41% specifically citing privacy. Incogni CEO Darius Belejevas noted that repeated data breaches have led to a sense of resignation, where consumers view cyber incidents as an unavoidable consequence of online engagement.