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Facebook slump reignites debate over attracting younger audiences
Facebook has tried to replicate TikTok's Reels function and borrowed inspiration from Instagram's Stories function, but neither addition has stopped the slump.
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A person looks at a Facebook logo displayed on the background in Arlington, Virginia, in this file photo from Aug. 17, 2021. (AFP/Olivier Douliery)
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acebook announced on Thursday that its daily user numbers had fallen for the first time in its history, reopening the debate around its problem with attracting new, younger subscribers.
The firm's founder, Mark Zuckerberg, was in no doubt who was to blame.
"People have a lot of choices for how they want to spend their time, and apps like TikTok are growing very quickly," he told investors, according to US media.
TikTok has continued its soaring growth, particularly among younger audiences attracted by its user-friendly controls and upbeat content of mostly very short, self-made videos.
"TikTok from the beginning has focused on a younger audience -- the style of the content, the music, the dancing," says Flavilla Fongang, who runs London-based branding agency 3 Colours Rule.
"Their moment has really come in the pandemic, where people were desperately looking for ways to stay connected."
In the same time period, Facebook -- whose parent company has been renamed Meta -- has been battling regulatory issues, negative headlines around bullying and disinformation, and on Wednesday faced a huge slide in its share price.
