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Facebook is losing users like a drunk gambler loses excess cash. During the course of just last two years, Facebook has lost 15 million users in the US alone which is far more than the whole population of countries like Belgium and South Sudan.
A recent report from Edison Research data via Cnet, summarizes that Facebook has an estimated 15 million lesser US users today than it had two years back in 2017. The report briefs about the statistical data of the downfall of Facebook users and states that in 2017, 67% of the total US population over the age of 12 were Facebook users. Whereas, in 2018, the number dropped by 2%, and by 1% more in 2019, making it to the overall remaining 12-year old users at 61%. This points out to an estimated 172 million current users, according to the research.
In addition, the researcher also briefed that the user decreasing rate has been higher among younger users. As in 2017, 79% of Americans aged between 12 to 34 used Facebook, the data says. That number decreased to 67% in 2018 and 62% in 2019. The statistical data relates the users to around 82 million 12 to 34-year-old Facebook users in 2017, compared with 65 million users today.
Meanwhile, the number of younger Americans’ who use Facebook-owned Instagram has risen from 64% in 2017 to 66% in 2019, according to the stats of the report. The number of Snapchat users in this research remained at 62% over the past two years. On the other hand, Twitter saw a decline in 12- to 34-year old users, from 36% in 2017 to 29% in 2019.
The current findings by Edison Research were comprised of 1,500 random people aged 12 and above in January and February via phone. The company’s research does not appear to relate with the number of monthly active users Facebook reported in its most recent earnings report, which noted it users increased from 2016 to 2018 in the US and Canada. Facebook has also declined to comment when reached out by various media outlets.
Nevertheless, the number of Facebook users aged 55 and above, has significantly increased from 49% in 2017 and 2018 to 53% in 2019. Despite the overall decrease in the number of users, Facebook remains the most popular social media network for Americans age 12 and up. In 2015, 65% of social media users said they use Facebook often than any other social media website. However, that number fell to 52% in the current year, which is still quite larger than various social networks like Snapchat and Instagram itself which stands at 13% and 16%, respectively.
