Teens abandoned Facebook years ago, right? I mean, that's what everyone was saying in 2013, and 2014, and 2015, and 2016.
Just one problem: It wasn't true. In June 2014 I wrote a report that showed Facebook dominated teens' social usage. December 2016 Comscore data painted a nearly identical picture. Teens didn't like Facebook, or think it was cool, but they still used it far more than other social sites.
But if Facebook wasn't in trouble with teens then, it is now. By 2017 Forrester found nearly as many teens used Instagram and Snapchat as used Facebook. And last week, Pew data showed Instagram and Snapchat had surpassed Facebook among teens:
Facebook is only teens' fourth-favorite social site. In 2014, more teens told Pew they used Facebook than any other social network. Today, it sits behind YouTube, Instagram, and Snapchat. (YouTube wasn't included in the survey in 2014.)
Barely half of teens use Facebook. In 2014, 71% of teens used Facebook. Today, that number is down to 51%. Teens whose parents finished college or make $75k per year or more use Facebook least of all: Just 33% and 36%, respectively.
Younger teens use Facebook less than older teens. Facebook's slide among teens might not be over: 13-14 year olds are less likely than 15-17 year olds to say they use the site.
Read the complete Pew study here (free PDF).