Zehra Naqvi reminisces about the enchanting era of the early days of social media.
During the early 2010s, she was immersed in the One Direction and Marvel fan communities. At that time, Instagram feeds were filled with latte photos filtered through Valencia, and Twitter was still a hub for sharing jokes and thoughtful cultural commentary.
Now, however, Instagram is dominated by influencers, and Twitter has become X—a virtual town square marked by intense political polarization.
“The platforms that succeeded were those that maximized user engagement, not those that fostered genuine connection,” Naqvi explained to TechCrunch. “There’s now a flood of content, but true happiness is hard to find.”
But things are beginning to shift. Naqvi is part of a new generation of social media focused on niche, interest-driven online communities. This month, she introduced her startup, Lore—a platform designed to help fans stay updated on their favorite fandoms.
She believes more users are moving away from broad platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, preferring instead to join online spaces that cater to their specific passions.
Natalie Dillon, a consumer investor at Maveron, notes a growing trend of founders developing networks centered around shared interests.
“Fundamentally, we’re seeing a move from passive consumption to active participation,” Dillon told TechCrunch. “For younger generations, community isn’t just an add-on to a product—it is the product.”
She points to examples like Beli, which lets people recommend restaurants to friends, or Fizz, which connects students at the same university. Other examples include Co-Star, an astrology app for making connections, and Partiful, which helps friends organize events together.
These are the kinds of interactive platforms Naqvi aspires to create—reminiscent of the early, more joyful days of social networking before it became fragmented and less enjoyable.
“Specialized communities allow people to express themselves fully and authentically, without being buried by algorithms,” she said.
She went on to say that the previous wave of social platforms thrived on quantity—more followers, greater reach, and increased noise. Now, some founders and users are rethinking this approach, concluding that there may never be a single dominant social app again. Instead, there will be many.
Perhaps that’s exactly how it should be.
“We’ve realized that meaningful engagement is more valuable than sheer numbers,” Naqvi remarked.
Niche online communities are expanding
Private groups such as subreddits, Discord channels, and Facebook groups have always been around. On X, following similar accounts could also immerse users in unique online subcultures, like Tech Twitter or Black Twitter.
However, the algorithms of major platforms tend to serve users more of what they’re presumed to want. Content creators play a role too, driving trends and discussions to capture attention and grow their audience.
“We’ve reached a point of overload,” Naqvi said. “People are exhausted by endless scrolling and content that feels inauthentic.”
Claire Wardle, an associate professor at Cornell University who researches digital information systems, says the era of building massive, catch-all platforms like Facebook is coming to an end.
Wardle notes that users are increasingly concerned about their online time, moderation of content, highly politicized environments, and the lasting nature of social media posts.
Of course, there are notable exceptions: TikTok, based in Beijing, has seen explosive growth and was temporarily banned in the U.S. over concerns about its influence. Facebook’s Threads, too, now boasts over 400 million monthly active users.
Yet, these platforms are rooted in what’s now considered the previous generation of social media. Wardle specifically describes TikTok as a “broadcast-style” platform.
“For those who enjoy being in the spotlight, that model works,” said Maya Watson, founder of the now-closed social site Why?! She is currently developing a new app in stealth. “Most of us didn’t join to become creators; we just wanted to find community.”
Alphonzo Terrell’s platform, Spill, has thrived by prioritizing community.

Spill has become a haven for Black X users seeking refuge from increasing extremism. Terrell explained that Spill shifted its focus from simply delivering content to connecting users with communities that match their interests.
For instance, fans of the WNBA can join a dedicated group. Spill also features games like Spades—a favorite in the Black community—and has teamed up with Netflix, Amazon, and Paramount to host “Tea Parties,” where users can watch movies and sports together in the app.
“The future of social media isn’t about amassing the largest following,” Terrell told TechCrunch. “It’s about meaningful connections—helping people find their tribe.”
Many Black users have also migrated to Blacksky, founded by Rudy Fraser. Blacksky is being developed as an open-source network using the same protocol and distribution system as Bluesky.

Bluesky is approaching 40 million users, according to a tracker built with its API. Wardle sees Bluesky as an example of how online communities are seeking spaces that align more closely with their political views, noting its left-leaning user base.
But Blacksky goes even further.
It is designed for minorities and marginalized groups, featuring an algorithm that can block racial abuse. Unlike X, where blocking one harasser may not stop others, Blacksky allows users to filter out unwanted content entirely, offering a highly personalized experience.
“Sometimes you want a global audience. Other times, you crave a private space with close online friends where you control visibility,” Fraser told TechCrunch.
Users have ownership over their data and can choose to store it on Blacksky instead of Bluesky, giving them authority over who can access their information.
Fraser added that users collectively make decisions, such as setting community guidelines or deciding whether non-Black users can participate in discussions.
“Up until now, people have had to pick between the limitations of the fediverse or closed platforms with little control,” Fraser said. (The fediverse refers to a network of open social web services based on the ActivityPub protocol.)
“With AT Protocol, we’re proving that you can enjoy a seamless user experience, have fun online, and maintain full autonomy,” Fraser said.
Investors are following other trends, too
Artificial intelligence is increasingly important in shaping more specialized online communities.
Austin Clements, managing partner at Slauson & Co., observes that founders are leveraging AI to create apps that understand subtlety, moving beyond niche networks to deliver highly customized experiences.
“The latest apps are purpose-built for their specific communities, allowing them to develop the most relevant tools and features,” he told TechCrunch. “In fact, these new platforms often prioritize tools and refer to the social aspect as ‘community.’”
Naqvi’s platform incorporates an AI feature, though she hasn’t shared details. Her product is a search engine that enables users to explore deep internet rabbit holes. It offers an interactive journey, connecting users to fan theories, cultural background, and hidden details; it creates personalized graphs, delivers fandom news, and provides monthly summaries of users’ interests.
“One of our early users described it perfectly: ‘It’s like Wikipedia, but if it could read my mind,’” she said, noting that her community affectionately calls her “Mother Lore.”

Emily Herrera, a consumer investor formerly with Slow Ventures, said that creators like Naqvi are now leading this new social media landscape. Rather than participating in a “broadcast” model, creators are building spaces where they act as owners, with newsletters being one example of this shift.
Dani Tran, principal at BITKRAFT Ventures, also sees the continued growth of “niche passion communities” in gaming, highlighting Superbloom, a studio focused on underrepresented gamers.
“Looking forward, the most dynamic online communities will be those built around interactive experiences,” she said.
Dillon from Maveron added, “The most successful platforms will be those that blend intimacy, usefulness, and creativity in a single ecosystem. They won’t resemble typical social networks; instead, they’ll feel like multiplayer spaces where people can create, purchase, and belong all at once.”
Or, as Naqvi summed it up: People “want tools that remind them why being online was enjoyable in the first place.”