Facebook is rapidly losing millennials, US user base down 15 million since 2017

[DPennington]

In context: A recent study shows that Facebook is losing users at a rapid pace, specifically among the younger demographic. Millennials are ditching the platform at a high rate, with more than 11 million leaving Facebook over the last two years.

According to a recent study by Edison Research, Facebook is hemorrhaging users in the US, losing about 15 million people since 2017. The largest drop is among teen users and millennials.

As of February 2019, 62% of 12-34 year olds in the US log into Facebook. This is down from 79% in 2017, and represents about 11 million of the overall decrease. The 35-54 age group has also seen a 3% decline over the last two years, with 69% of people using Facebook now versus 72% in 2017. Older folks on the platform are becoming more prevalent, with 53% of that demographic being active in 2019 versus 49% in 2017.

Interestingly, or perhaps strategically, the majority of the users leaving Facebook in 2019 are going to Instagram, which is a Facebook-owned entity.

While the US population on Facebook continues to shrink, Facebook is reporting overall growth globally. This news helps quantify a report from February 2018 that showed Facebook was losing younger users to newer "hipper" platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram. Interestingly, or perhaps strategically, the majority of the users leaving Facebook in 2019 are going to Instagram, which is a Facebook-owned entity.

The decline in the millennial segments may be a result of younger folks being more tech savvy and aware of the consequences of Facebook's data and privacy policies.

Additionally, the millennial demographic skews Democratic, and Facebook has been accused of allowing Russian actors to post false and inflammatory content to bolster Donald Trump during the 2016 election cycle. Recently, Facebook has had more issues with data control, finding themselves in hot water over GDPR violations and database breaches.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/79082-facebook-rapidly-losing-millennials-us-user-base-down.html

 

[wiyosaya]

Sounds like this represents 15 million wise individuals.

 

[Sausagemeat]

Millennials are people born between 1981 and 1996. Or people who are aged 22-37. I actually think it’s the generation who succeeded millennials that are abandoning Facebook - generation Z.

That being said I’m a millennial and I barely use Facebook. Too much politics, gym selfies and babies on there for my liking. I prefer Instagram, there’s less of the aforementioned on mine.

 

[psycros]

"Additionally, the millennial demographic skews Democratic, and Facebook has been accused of allowing Russian actors to post false and inflammatory content to bolster Donald Trump during the 2016 election cycle."

By that logic all the conservatives should have abandoned Facebook already since it does literally nothing to combat leftist propaganda and defamation. As for the teens and Millennials leaving, their doing so precisely because their parents are now cyber-stalking them on FB. Within five years most security-conscious Internet users will be communicating using end-to-end encryption and virtual identities. A lot of it will be done via the dark web.

 

[QuantumPhysics]

I wish the rest of us were smart enough to not give CUCKerberg our important info and photos.

Problem is, they leave Facebook and use Instagram - or Twitter.

I think most of these "millennials" leave because their parents are cyberstalking them.

 

[DPennington]

"Additionally, the millennial demographic skews Democratic, and Facebook has been accused of allowing Russian actors to post false and inflammatory content to bolster Donald Trump during the 2016 election cycle."

By that logic all the conservatives should have abandoned Facebook already since it does literally nothing to combat leftist propaganda and defamation. As for the teens and Millennials leaving, their doing so precisely because their parents are now cyber-stalking them on FB. Within five years most security-conscious Internet users will be communicating using end-to-end encryption and virtual identities. A lot of it will be done via the dark web.

I was hesitant to include this line because I wasn't sure if I could write it in a factual sense without any bias. I agree that it happens on both sides of the aisle, trust me, but the point I was attempting to make is that a) young people skew Democrat (http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/03/20/a-wider-partisan-and-ideological-gap-between-younger-older-generations/) and b) younger people are more likely to view Facebook's role in the 2016 election specifically as negative.

Facebook does nothing to curtail far-left or far-right content, in my opinion. The platform is seemingly flooded with misinformation of all sorts. I think the overall point is don't get your political knowledge from Facebook, ever.

 

[treetops]

What??!?!?! People in their teens\20s don't want to share social media with their mom\grand mom? Who would have thunk it...

 

[ghostf1re]

"Additionally, the millennial demographic skews Democratic, and Facebook has been accused of allowing Russian actors to post false and inflammatory content to bolster Donald Trump during the 2016 election cycle."

By that logic all the conservatives should have abandoned Facebook already since it does literally nothing to combat leftist propaganda and defamation. As for the teens and Millennials leaving, their doing so precisely because their parents are now cyber-stalking them on FB. Within five years most security-conscious Internet users will be communicating using end-to-end encryption and virtual identities. A lot of it will be done via the dark web.

I was hesitant to include this line because I wasn't sure if I could write it in a factual sense without any bias. I agree that it happens on both sides of the aisle, trust me, but the point I was attempting to make is that a) young people skew Democrat (http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/03/20/a-wider-partisan-and-ideological-gap-between-younger-older-generations/) and b) younger people are more likely to view Facebook's role in the 2016 election specifically as negative.

Facebook does nothing to curtail far-left or far-right content, in my opinion. The platform is seemingly flooded with misinformation of all sorts. I think the overall point is don't get your political knowledge from Facebook, ever.

The reason young people skew Democratic is because of biased schooling and social media pushing one sided politics. I don't remember politics being pushed down my throat when I was younger (I'm 32). Hollywood is very skewed towards Democrats as well and this is very influential for the younger audience. I wish these kids would make up their minds on their own, without having all of this propaganda being pushed down their throats by not only TV and the media, but by our own school systems.

 

[wiyosaya]

The reason young people skew Democratic is because of biased schooling and social media pushing one sided politics. I don't remember politics being pushed down my throat when I was younger (I'm 32). Hollywood is very skewed towards Democrats as well and this is very influential for the younger audience. I wish these kids would make up their minds on their own, without having all of this propaganda being pushed down their throats by not only TV and the media, but by our own school systems.

As I see it, both sides have their propaganda.

 

[Linux7055]

I remember back in elementary school in 2010 lots of kids would fake their age to make a Facebook account. Kids as young as 8 used Facebook. I bet some kids today never even heard of Facebook lol

 

[Nobina]

They're on instagram which is owned by d zucc.

 

[Evernessince]

Millennials are people born between 1981 and 1996. Or people who are aged 22-37. I actually think it’s the generation who succeeded millennials that are abandoning Facebook - generation Z.

That being said I’m a millennial and I barely use Facebook. Too much politics, gym selfies and babies on there for my liking. I prefer Instagram, there’s less of the aforementioned on mine.

Instagram is owned by facebook...

Looks like they are getting your business either way.

 

[pdesrosiers]

That's not even the worst part! Monthly reach is easily attainable... Just have to open the app once a month. The worst part is the time spend on Facebook is plunging. No time spend means no ads; no ads means no money.

 

[Danny101]

The next Myspace?

 

[QuantumPhysics]

Millennials are people born between 1981 and 1996. Or people who are aged 22-37. I actually think it’s the generation who succeeded millennials that are abandoning Facebook - generation Z.

That being said I’m a millennial and I barely use Facebook. Too much politics, gym selfies and babies on there for my liking. I prefer Instagram, there’s less of the aforementioned on mine.

Instagram is owned by facebook...

Looks like they are getting your business either way.

Instagram has popularized attention *****s. I rarely ever use it simply because unlike Youtube, it doesn't pay me.

 

[poohbear]

The next Myspace?

Not when they own Instagram. They're thinking way ahead of u, and probably know every detail of why Myspace failed to avoid it. but thanks!

 

[JamesSWD]

Reminds me of the AOL days, when they were the online king and everyone had an account. And suddenly...within a few short years, spiraled into being a ghost of their former selves.

 

[Mariya878]

I was born in 1978. When Facebook was all the rage I created an account. I didn't get into it. Never felt comfortable enough to share my details, birthday, school etc. I do log on to my account which has a fake name and no info, to participate in groups/read stuff. The leftist propaganda on my page stopped when I joined about 200 conservative groups most of which I never look at but it did help.