Hyderabad: Virtual space has been abuzz, debating the use of social media and its pros and cons. Yet, the statistics show that social media has become an integral part of global communication, with 4.8 billion users worldwide, representing 59.9% of the global population and encompassing 92.7% of all internet users. The average user engages with 6-7 different social media networks each month, dedicating approximately 2 hours and 24 minutes per day to these platforms.
Despite the widespread use, the landscape of social media has been dynamic, and apps can suddenly rise and fall in popularity. So this happened in 2023. Instagram, a photo-sharing application offering from Meta, which once dominated the social media scene, is on a decreasing trend. Researchers attribute the continuous influx of advertisements and the influencers promoting brands, as the primary reasons behind the decline in user engagement.
According to a report by TRG Datacentres, a US-based tech firm, Meta’s Threads app which gained 100 million users in five days saw an 80 per cent drop in daily active users since its launch in July 2023.
In an attempt to compete with Elon Musk's X, Meta introduced 'Threads' on July 5, 2023. The app garnered 100 million users within five days. Despite this initial success, a sharp 80% drop in daily active users was reported by August, with daily usage plummeting from 21 minutes in July to a mere three minutes by November.
Recognising the volatility of user preferences, TRG Datacentres' study sought to identify which popular social media platforms experienced a fall from grace in 2023. By analysing search queries for 'how to delete (my) Instagram account' over the past 12 months, the study focused on the nine most widely used social networks available globally.
The social media platforms included in the research, listed in order of user base, were Facebook (3.03 billion users), YouTube (2.49 billion), WhatsApp (2 billion), Instagram (2 billion), WeChat (1.33 billion), TikTok (1.22 billion), Facebook Messenger (1.04 billion), Telegram (800 million), and Snapchat (750 million). Twitter/X, with 666 million users.
Utilising a per capita approach, the study found Instagram to be at the forefront, with over 1 million monthly searches globally for account deletion. This trend, despite the platform's massive 2 billion user base, suggests a potential shift in its landscape within a year.
Snapchat, particularly popular among Gen Z users, experienced around 1,30,000 monthly deletion searches. Despite this, it remains a go-to platform for young adults aged 18-24, constituting over a third of its user base.
WeChat, owned by the Chinese tech company Tencent, displayed the least number of monthly deletion searches. This indicates a relatively stable user base, possibly due to its diverse functionalities and popularity in specific regions.
TRG Datacentres uses its own methods to infer the findings it has come up with. These numbers surely highlight the challenges faced by social media platforms in maintaining relevance and retaining user trust in an era of diverse preferences and changing trends. ETV Bharat could not independently verify the data set utilised in the report.
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