In this day and age, athletes are expected to be both performers and influencers. Instead of leading through performance they’re now expected to be social media personalities too. But what was once a tool for building a brand and earning income has, for many, turned into a source of stress, anxiety, distraction, and unwanted scrutiny.
In recent years, athletes across disciplines—from Division I basketball players to extreme cliff divers and elite swimmers—have decided to step back from mainstream platforms like Meta and YouTube. Many are choosing alternative spaces that support well-being and community instead.
For many athletes, digital detox journeys begin not with a plan but a breaking point. It’s that moment when the negative effects of social media become impossible to ignore. Mental health professionals note that the unrelenting input from screens contributes to mental fatigue, disrupted sleep, reduced focus, and emotional overload.
Many athletes agree, and have spoken out about how constant notifications and toxic interactions are becoming overwhelming. College basketball players such as Cameron Corhen deleted his social media accounts after receiving direct abusive messages following games. These deeply personal attacks directly impacted his mental state and focus.
“If social media is causing you to be emotional… then you should really think about removing it.”
— Cameron Corhen
Let’s take a deeper look at some of the most common reasons for athletes to cancel their social media accounts.
Toxic interactions and harassment is just one of the reasons why athletes are taking a break from regular social media. Ironically, the social media algorithms that promote reels and snapshots of success don’t always help either. This can spur unhealthy comparisons, self-doubt, and emotional stress—especially when athletes compare their worst days to others’ highlight reels.
World-class cliff diver Molly Carlson has openly discussed the pressure she felt early in her career to only post “perfect” highlights. She recognizes that doing so created “a really unrealistic lifestyle”. On top of that, sharing only the best moments contributed to her anxiety around performance and appearance.
Carlson’s story reflects a broader truth: authenticity and vulnerability are powerful, yet they also expose athletes to broad public scrutiny.
Maintaining social media often pulls an athlete’s attention away from training routines and recovery. Athletes report that checking feeds or managing public-facing profiles distracts them from preparation and disrupts focus.
Former rugby captain Owen Farrell—has criticized the toxic dynamics of online discourse. He describes both praise and criticism as a kind of “poison” that rapidly escalates. While not always harmful, it distracts from what truly matters to athletes as competitors and people.
When the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) regulations kicked in, athletes quickly realized that building a following could unlock sponsorship income. But content creation itself can become exhausting and detract from athletic priorities.
To make matters worse, sponsors and social media platforms encourage comparison and self-monitoring leaving many athletes feeling like their value is tied to follower counts, likes, or comments. In a world where athletes are already judged based on their performance and easily dismissed if they can’t hit their goals, content creation adds to the pressure. Several athletes explicitly state that social media takes the joy out of playing. Instead it turns their sport into another source of metric-driven stress.
In addition to the burden of content creation, many brand endorsement posts fall flat in the eyes of fans. Only when an athlete is able to showcase brands in an authentic way do fans believe. But too often time and resources are what limit athletes to create the content that resonates. Managing their online personas takes up valuable time that many athletes would prefer to put into prioritizing their sport.
And while a few athletes are able to land the big deals, most niche sports athletes have little to no opportunity. Not only do mainstream algorithms swallow their content as they struggle to build visibility, but instead of earning income for their social media engagement, they most often only receive in-kind products as a reward.
Retired competitive swimmer Michael Gunning has described elite sport as at times a “toxic environment”. He notes that social expectations and pressures—including those shaped by online spaces—can force athletes to conform to stereotypes rather than express their authentic selves. He emphasizes the importance of feeling safe and supported outside of judgement or online pressure, advocating for environments where everyone can compete freely and confidently.
Michael is not alone, and new platforms are entering the space providing athletes a new way to share. Unlike social media these platforms are built around athlete empowerment and community support rather than viral algorithms. Here’s how creator-conscious platforms like Ontheside help athletes thrive.
Ontheside enables athletes to earn directly from their expertise and engagement. Most creator platforms require minimum follower or engagement thresholds for payouts. On top of that, the time athletes have to invest often far exceeds the compensation they get back. Athlete-creators Ontheside receive 80% of sponsorship proceeds along with support resources to help them develop their unique content. Brand and fan sponsorship is based on authenticity, shared interests and aligned values reflected in the compelling content athletes share.
Ontheside's mission is to be a destination where all sports and only sports content maximizes user relevancy. Niche sports and athletes have just as much opportunity for discovery and support as mainstream sports and athletes. Content feeds populate based on post recency and user-defined search terms, not based on popularity algorithms, trends, or viral moments. When brands struggle to find authentic athlete content, shifting their focus to niche platforms like Ontheside can be the solution. Moreover, fans of emerging sports that can’t easily find the right resources may just be in luck. Ontheside aims to become the place to go for non-mainstream sports fans especially.
Rather than emphasizing superficial engagement metrics, platforms like Ontheside encourage meaningful connections among its users. Comments, direct messaging and even group chats are all controlled by the athlete. This ensures the athlete is in charge of the type of fan relationships they want to build. The goal is to create a safe space for athletes of all ages and backgrounds to cultivate community based on genuine interest and support.
Athletes curate their content based on their unique experiences and perspectives. That means sharing skills, insights, training, and personal content on their terms. Brands sponsor athlete content because of alignment in audience and values, not for paid endorsements or contractual brand mentions. And fans get access to the athletes’ personal stories and behind-the-scenes content about their expertise and adventures. The burden to “always be selling”—whether that is themselves or a brand—is removed.
"Unlike many conventional media and social channels, Ontheside doesn't believe in popularity algorithms, ads in feeds, or giving trolls the opportunity to do damage. We do believe in credibility built on experience and in connection based on shared interests, passions, and goals. We believe in putting the power of storytelling, engagement and sponsorship into the hands of athletes so they can fund their athletic goals and inspire through sport on their own terms."
— Rich Lee, Ontheside Founder and CEO
The movement toward digital detoxes among athletes reflects a growing need for balanced, mindful digital engagement. Athletes are reclaiming what matters: mental health, authentic connections, and platforms that support rather than exploit their digital presence. Emerging online communities like Ontheside that are built to amplify athlete well-being, purpose, and impact are creating healthier channels for sports content. They help build a future where athletes can focus on what they do best: competing, inspiring, and living their sport.