UK’s youth leaving Facebook, prefer Snapchat; similar trends seen in US: Study

Even as Facebook has more users across age brackets when compare to other platforms, a study has shown that teenagers in the UK are increasingly using Snapchat for their online interactions.

2 min readFeb 12, 2018 01:21 PM IST First published on: Feb 12, 2018 at 01:21 PM IST

Facebook users, Snapchat, UK study, social networks, US active users, teen smartphone usage, Facebook teen popularity, EMarkerter study, Snapchat Stories, parental control, Facebook Messenger for Kids, Apple

Facebook has tried to stem an exodus to Snapchat with measures such as a new version of its Messenger app for children. (File Photo)

Facebook Inc is losing its swagger with young users, who are increasingly migrating to rival platforms including Snap Inc’s Snapchat, according to a new study.

Seventy-one percent of UK social network users between 12 years and 17 years old will be using Facebook regularly this year, a downgrade of 8 points from last year’s forecast, EMarketer Inc said Monday, citing its own report. Children are increasingly moving to Snapchat, which will get log-ins from 43 percent of UK social networkers in 2018, more than double the rate of three years ago. In the US last year, 68.5 percent of social media users at age 12 to 17 years old used Facebook, down from 90 percent in 2013, according to EMarketer. Eighty-nine percent were using Snapchat, up from 29 percent four years ago.