Gabbie Romano is a highly active member of the “Bagels Who Discuss” Facebook Group, a welcoming community for individuals in the Chapel Hill-Durham area of North Carolina. Romano engages with the group by sharing posts, providing advice, recommendations, and support to fellow members. She made the shift to smaller social media spaces after noticing negative interactions on larger platforms like Instagram, which impacted her mental health. Romano now primarily uses Facebook Groups and subreddits to connect with like-minded individuals in local foodie, hiking, and interior design groups.
This trend of transitioning to small social media platforms is not unique to Romano. Many users are seeking out smaller, more intimate online communities for various reasons, such as mental health concerns, productivity issues, and a desire to avoid negative content consumption habits. These smaller spaces, whether within larger platforms like Facebook Groups or independent platforms like Discord or Letterboxd, offer users a sense of community and shared interests.
While small online communities can provide a sense of belonging and support, they are not without their challenges. Echo chambers, misinformation, and the normalization of extreme viewpoints can still occur within these niche spaces. It’s important for users to be aware of these potential pitfalls and actively seek out diverse perspectives and healthy discussions, even within smaller online communities.