There has been a huge decline in teenage Facebook users over the past three years as youngsters ditch the social network in favour of platforms like Instagram and Snapchat, a new study reveals.
That’s according to the Pew Research Center, which reports that the number of teenage Facebook users (aged 13-17) had plummeted from 71% in 2015 to 51% in 2018. On the other hand, the number of teenage Snapchat users has surged, increasing from 41% in 2015 to 69% in 2018.
Surely the two trends aren’t unrelated?
If the next three years hold to a similar pattern, Facebook would barely register on the social media radar of teens, while Snapchat would be the new definition of ubiquitous – something seemingly unthinkable only a few years ago.
However, the decline of other social media giants suggests no one is untouchable, even if Facebook is still the world’s largest social network on a whopping 2.2 billion monthly users (as well as owning the likes of Instagram and WhatsApp for good measure).
Platforms like Google+, Vine and Tumblr are now more less resting in the digital bone orchard, with Google+ no longer registering in Pew’s figures. Twitter is the most consistent social network when it comes to popularity amongst teens, it seems, with users only decreasing by 1% since 2015.
Overall, the number of teenagers with smartphones has gone up from 73% in 2015 to 95% in 2018, which perhaps suggests teens find Snapchat a more mobile-friendly social network to use – which, if we’re being honest, it is.
- Related: Learn how to delete Facebook
How has your social media usage changed over the years? Tweet us @trustedreviews.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
