Stacy Jo Dixon
Research expert covering social media usage worldwide
Facebook - statistics & facts
Facebook takes center stage on the social media landscape. As the world's most popular social media platform turned 20 in February 2024, it continues to come out on top in terms of user numbers, despite new platforms breaking on to the scene. Facebook needs no introduction and is the social media giant that keeps other platforms on their toes. But as younger generations seek more from social media, can Facebook keep this status for the next 20 years?
Despite being a readily available source of news and current affairs, the platform is challenged with a variety of misleading and harmful content. In the fourth quarter of 2023, 691 million fake Facebook accounts were removed from the platform. Additionally, for the same period, 7.7 million pieces of content were actioned for containing bullying and harassment content.
Despite being the world’s most popular social platform, opinion is split with consumers in the United States. Whilst 20 percent of internet users had a very favorable impression of Facebook, a further 20 percent had a very unfavorable opinion of the platform.
The world's most used social network is battling a somewhat negative perception and fresh competition from the likes of social video app TikTok. The rise of Generation Z in the consumer ranks will require Facebook to adapt, as younger generations expect constant and personalized entertainment from their social platforms.
Where does Facebook find its largest following?
Facebook championed over three billion monthly active users (MAU) as of January 2024. India is home to the world’s largest Facebook audience, with 366 million users as of early 2024. Additionally, the United States, Indonesia, and Brazil each had well over 100 million Facebook users. Furthermore, almost one fifth of global Facebook users were men aged between 25 to 34 years, and around 13 percent of users were women belonging to this age group.What do people see on their Facebook news feed?
In the fourth quarter of 2023, 32 percent of U.S. users’ news feed content on Facebook contained posts from friends, whilst over 25 percent of posts were completely unconnected to the user, meaning that this content was not related to their Facebook friends, or people, pages, nor groups that they followed. Moreover, the vast majority of news feed content did not have links attached.Despite being a readily available source of news and current affairs, the platform is challenged with a variety of misleading and harmful content. In the fourth quarter of 2023, 691 million fake Facebook accounts were removed from the platform. Additionally, for the same period, 7.7 million pieces of content were actioned for containing bullying and harassment content.
The future of Facebook
Social media companies have been trying to find other ways outside of advertising to generate income, and Facebook fans can now pay for ad-free versions of Meta’s services. Younger users were more likely than older users to be willing to pay a subscription fee, with 40 percent of social media users in the United States aged 18 to 24 years saying they would become a subscriber, compared to just five percent of users aged 55 to 64 years.Despite being the world’s most popular social platform, opinion is split with consumers in the United States. Whilst 20 percent of internet users had a very favorable impression of Facebook, a further 20 percent had a very unfavorable opinion of the platform.
The world's most used social network is battling a somewhat negative perception and fresh competition from the likes of social video app TikTok. The rise of Generation Z in the consumer ranks will require Facebook to adapt, as younger generations expect constant and personalized entertainment from their social platforms.
