Suspicious Optimism: Decentralised social media

As consumers become increasingly concerned about digital trust, privacy and the control exercised by large platforms, social media will become decentralised. This is mainly due to users’ search for more transparency and control over the data they consume and their own information.

Real or fake?

In the last decade, the post-truth era emerged, an expression linked to social media. During this period, the ability of individuals to share information on a large scale, often resulting in the dissemination of false narratives, made internet users sceptical and assume that reality does not always match appearances. With the continuous advancement of generative artificial intelligence, this feeling intensifies as individuals constantly improve the creation of images and videos to the point where it becomes almost indistinguishable between real and fake for most.

As consumers vary between positive and negative perceptions of technology, WGSN finds an emotional paradox in the digital universe – simultaneously real and false, collective and individualistic – where fear and disillusionment will coexist with admiration and hope. 

The rise of Suspicious Optimism as a consumer sentiment

Amid growing technological polarisation driven by divergent political and social approaches to AI ethics, data privacy and data ownership itself – a debate that questions who truly controls personal information and the individual’s right to dispose of it freely – feelings like optimism, scepticism and caution increase.

WGSN has been monitoring optimism for years, highlighting Realistic Optimism in 2024 which evolved into Rational Optimism in 2026. For 2027, we will see Suspicious Optimism emerge as one of the key sentiments. What is the main evolution of this sentiment for the next two years? A significant portion of the population will feel scepticism and optimism towards the future as AI and technology become increasingly integrated into daily life.

The role of technology in the future

Many consumers show a mix of fascination and apprehension about technological advancement and artificial intelligence. However, they will increasingly adapt technology to their cultural, geographical and economic contexts.

As more people document their lives digitally, the preservation of this current period of history is at the mercy of platform survival. Digital archiving and the politicisation of platforms threaten the preservation of current culture. Have you wondered what will happen if collective archives, when under the control of politicians or companies, are deleted or edited? About 8% of internet sites from 2023 were already inaccessible in October of the same year (BBC), reinforcing the fragility of digitally stored information.

Even so, what once depended exclusively on human memory or paper records can now be archived, preserved and reimagined by future generations, storing the knowledge of multiple cultures. Despite challenges, technological innovation is powerful in ensuring stories, languages, knowledge and cultural expressions, especially from minorities, are preserved and passed on – a vital solution for cultural memory. A collaborative project between USP, through Center for Artificial Intelligence (C4AI) and IBM Research, aims to employ AI technologies to reinforce indigenous Brazilian languages (USP Journal).

Another example is HeritageWatch.IAm in France, a global project led by Planet Labs, Iconem, Aliph and Microsoft, which combines satellite imagery, AI and 3D modelling to monitor global heritage sites threatened by climate events and conflicts.

What’s next?

As scepticism regarding current centralised models deepens, the motivation to migrate to digital environments that offer greater security and individual empowerment, in addition to meeting unique needs and contexts, strengthens.

Platforms created and maintained by minorities or with a decentralised architecture will be crucial to combat scepticism regarding data control. These approaches can return power to users over their information, creating a safer environment and redefining technology as an ally, a movement we see reflected in the growth of platforms like Bluesky or Rednote.

From 2027 onwards, global cultural communities, together with governments, brands and individuals, will forge deeply exclusive connections with technology, customising hardware and software to meet unique needs and environments.

Future Consumer 2027: Emotions

Read by over 31,000 leaders annually, the Future Consumer report is WGSN’s main annual report, presenting the six sentiments and four consumer profiles that will shape the macroeconomic, political, social and technological landscape over the next two years, outlining the key strategies companies need to implement today to succeed in the future.

In this year’s white paper, we reveal three of the six emotions that will influence consumer behaviour in 2027, allowing you to abandon assumptions and create products and experiences aligned with your audience’s thoughts, feelings and behaviours.

Download our White Paper now to discover the emotions that will drive the behaviour of your future consumers.