By Calli Gregg A new survey of more than 3,400 U.S. Facebook users shows that the popular online platform that has been used to keep its more than 2.2 billion monthly active users connect to friends and family connected since 2006 is losing its connection with younger users. Results from the survey show that 44 percent of users ages 18 to 29 have deleted the app from their phones in the past year. I am part of that demographic and although I have not deleted the app personally, I have reduced my uses of Facebook to communicate and keep in touch with others and like 42 percent of those surveyed, I have taken a break for several weeks or more without posting or using the app. Now don’t worry Facebook users, these results don’t mean bad news for the company overall as it only looked at the core Facebook app only, not Facebook-owned Instagram (which is the current app of choice for most of my friends), WhatsApp and Messenger, all of which remain extremely
popular with younger users offering Facebook lots of room for revenue growth. In addition, this survey did not measure Facebook users outside the U.S., where growth has contin- ued as North American usage has stalled so these number can be skewed versus the overall global view of this demo- graphic. However you look at it, the results may suggest that a lot of Facebook’s younger users are paying attention to the com- pany’s troubles as it has spent the last year or more dealing with a number of scandals related to abuse of the platform to spread false news and the improper use of personal data to influence those using the platform. All of which are adding up to people of all ages using the service less. These scandals are affecting more than just Facebook’s user numbers, it is also affecting their financial situation as slowing ad growth and higher expenses related to fighting misinformation takes its toll on profits.
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OCTOBER 2018 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
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