TORONTO – Facebook may be “dead and buried” with teen users, according to recent findings from a UK-based study, but the social network appears to be thriving with older generations – which may point to a new average user for the site.
According to data released Monday by Pew Research Center, Facebook remains the most dominant social networking platform for U.S. adults – based on the number of users logging into the site.
Pew Research’s “Social Media Update 2013” found that 71 per cent of online adults are Facebook users, a slight increase from the 67 per cent who said they used the site in 2012.
While the study found that more Internet users are starting to discover other social networks – like Instagram and Twitter – Facebook users continue to be the most engaged online, with 63 per cent of users checking their friends’ status updates at least once a day, and 40 per cent doing so multiple times a day.
READ MORE: Study finds Facebook use may lead to unhappiness
But Pew’s findings are based on users ages 18 and up, including the 65+ age range, and excluding what used to be considered Facebook’s most popular user group – teens.
The findings are in stark contrast to the UK-based Global Social Media Impact Study, which has been making headlines for its statement that interest in Facebook has died with 16 to 18- year-old users.
“What we’ve learned from working with 16 to 18-year-olds in the UK is that Facebook is not just on the slide, it is basically dead and buried,” said lead author of the study Daniel Miller, professor at University College London.
“Mostly they feel embarrassed even to be associated with it.”
But the two studies seem to go hand in hand.
According to the UK study, teens are moving away from Facebook to get away from their parents who like to use it to stay up-to-date about their child’s life – and what teenager doesn’t hate that?
“Where once parents worried about their children joining Facebook, the children now say it is their family that insists they stay there to post about their lives. Parents have worked out how to use the site and see it as a way for the family to remain connected,” read the study.
“In response, the young are moving on to cooler things.”
The Global Social Media Impact Study noted that young users are moving towards photo-sharing apps like Facebook-owned Instagram and Snapchat – which allows users to send photos that disappear after being opened.
READ MORE: Teens becoming increasingly aware of online privacy encouraging, says expert
Pew Research noted that while Facebook remains the dominate social network for adults, many are discovering new platforms, and 42 per cent of users frequent multiple social networks.
Similarly, Pew noted that Twitter and Instagram use was particularly high among younger adults, with Instagram use in users aged 18 to 29 increasing almost 10 per cent from 2012.
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