Goodbye Ole Facebook, you won’t be missed

Adults think we lack the commitment and concentration, but it’s actually a devious scheme.

A recent study shows that “Gen Z” are abandoning Facebook and veering towards Snapchat and Instagram. The same studies showed that the older generations are flocking more and more towards Facebook. This results in a unique demographic equilibrium being created.

Age group	2018	Net change
12-17	2.2 mn	Decreased by 300000
18-24	4.5mn	Decreased by 400000
45-54	5.6mn	Increased by 100000
55-64	3.5mn	Increased by 200000
65 and beyond	2.9mn	Increased by 300000

Source- The Guardian

Now Zuckerberg plans to clean up facebook’s algorithm to prioritise the “social” in social network and show more posts from family and friends.

This shows how out of sync the developers are with the youth. The reason teens have stopped using Facebook is because it has become too crowded. If there is one thing that kills a popular trend, it’s when adults start using it. Facebook shall be thrown into the same obsolete pit where “YOLO, SWAG, the nae nae” reside. Even typing those phrases made me cringe. In the same way, Facebook makes me wince every time I see a “Like if you would save your mother from a burning house” post. I feel even more enraged at the people in my friend list who willingly share this stuff. “Friends from my familial or school based social circles” whom I’m supposed to keep in touch with.

And THERE lies the advantage Instagram has. You’re not “obliged” to be friends with anybody. Individuality is king. Blocking or ignoring your loved ones is normal here and that makes kids feel safe. Facebook may be king now, but his reign is coming to an end. Like the mythic phoenix, Instagram shall rise from the ashes of Facebook. Not that it should matter to Mark, since he owns both the “replacer”, and the “replacee”.

Almost inevitably in five years or so the demographic will shift, 18-24 adults will become the “adults” and will dominate Instagram. The next generation will discover a new “social” network and adults will struggle to use. In the meantime, Facebook will be as relevant as Myspace or Orkut. Remember those? Me neither.

But that’s not the only reason why Facebook is dying. It tries to be the Jack of All Trades, and excels at none in particular. Kids go to Instagram, the grave adults send out Tweets, Videos play best on Youtube, Live Streams are Twitch’s specialty,and stories and private messages go on Snapchat. So why use an app does that everything, but poorly?

Realizing this, Facebook needs to figure out how to be unique and give a reason for younger generations to sign in. If not, a meteor is coming, and this dinosaur’s days are numbered.