Pew Research has released a new study on Facebook use, and there’s a lot of distress and hand-wringing over “Facebook fatigue” because the study and most reports I’ve seen lead with:
61% of Facebook users have taken a voluntary break from using the site at one time or another and 27% plan to spend less time on the site this coming year.
Hot stuff, and just the kind of grist the media likes to mill these days, but it’s not so hot in context.
First, if about six in 10 adult Facebook users take breaks, that means four in 10, or 40%, use it regularly without taking breaks. And for that six in 10, it’s a break, not an abandonment. Facebook hasn’t lost those people forever.
Second, if 27% plan to spend less time with Facebook, that means 73% plan to spend the same amount or more time. (For the record, it’s 69% same time, 3% more.)
Yes, there is the part about 38% of users 18-29 saying they expect to spend less time with Facebook, and there are some other areas that could be a concern. But what I see is a strong core of regular users that can help Facebook navigate the challenges of a maturing platform.
Regardless, I’m pretty sure these are numbers Facebook can live with and build on.
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