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There are less drastic options. I'm still on facebook but unsubscribed from all feeds. As a result there's almost nothing but ads on my news feed so I'm not rea

There are less drastic options. I'm still on facebook but unsubscribed from all feeds. As a result there's almost nothing but ads on my news feed so I'm not really tempted to go there anymore. I also don't post anything there. Still, I keep my account "just in case" and I do use messenger a lot though. I have the feeling facebook is slowly dying, but I'm probably wrongly generalizing my own experience (is this called a "false consensus bias"?)

stevewillows 9y ago
Its funny. Most people I know (~37 and under) only really use it for events and, at times, messenger. Its sort of a modern phonebook. My sister (early 40s) and her peers are still using it on a regular basis, but the content could easily be on twitter or instagram. The real demographic that is in love with it is my parents' generation, ~67+. They follow a lot of the '%city% then and now' and other nostalgic groups. Along with those, their feeds are filled with goofy videos that were going around a while ago. I don't see Facebook going the way of myspace in the near future, but I do think they'll have to shift their focus a little if they want to draw us back in. What I don't understand is why facebook isn't going head first into online dating. They already have a lot of information on everybody -- where a lot of us like to eat, locations we frequent, events we like, etc. For a lot of us the data would be slightly outdated, but I bet they could give some solid suggestions.
- icantdrive55 9y ago
  I see way too many people, presumably under 37, glued to something on those screens. My hope is whatever they are so fascinated with will eventually get old, and that phone will be put away, or perhaps left at home.
- netzone 9y ago
  That's not a bad idea on the online dating. Though it would probably mean Facebook becoming much more transparent regarding what data they collect on you, at least to the unknowing majority. That's something I really don't see happening.
  - flycaliguy 9y ago
    Yeah, you might also have newly formed couples becoming weary of their partner continuing to use Facebook.
dazc 9y ago
Just from witnessing what people are looking at on their smartphones (in Spain), couple of years ago it was all facebook now it's all whatsapp - even older age groups (60+). Only people I know ever mentioning facebook are (as mentioned in the other reply) middle-aged upwards.
- leereeves 9y ago
  Doesn't Facebook own whatsapp? They're not leaving Facebook, just switching from one Facebook property to another.
  - s_kilk 9y ago
    Facebook do own Whatsapp, but if people are staying in Whatsapp then they're never engaging on the Facebook platform, and thus never generating ad revenue. It's strictly a loss for Facebook, unless they can figure out how to monetize Whatsapp to the same extent as their main platform.
  - dazc 9y ago
    You are correct but if the trend is moving from a heavily monetised property to one that isn't....?
    - bionoid 9y ago
      ... then they will monetise it.
      - dazc 9y ago
        ....then people will flock elsewhere, maybe?
        fwn 9y ago
        Which is reasonable, given that WhatsApps social graph is your phonebook and therefore portable. This is different with facebook or facebook messenger.

stevewillows 9y ago

Its funny. Most people I know (~37 and under) only really use it for events and, at times, messenger. Its sort of a modern phonebook. My sister (early 40s) and her peers are still using it on a regular basis, but the content could easily be on twitter or instagram. The real demographic that is in love with it is my parents' generation, ~67+. They follow a lot of the '%city% then and now' and other nostalgic groups. Along with those, their feeds are filled with goofy videos that were going around a while ago. I don't see Facebook going the way of myspace in the near future, but I do think they'll have to shift their focus a little if they want to draw us back in. What I don't understand is why facebook isn't going head first into online dating. They already have a lot of information on everybody -- where a lot of us like to eat, locations we frequent, events we like, etc. For a lot of us the data would be slightly outdated, but I bet they could give some solid suggestions.

icantdrive55 9y ago
I see way too many people, presumably under 37, glued to something on those screens. My hope is whatever they are so fascinated with will eventually get old, and that phone will be put away, or perhaps left at home.
netzone 9y ago
That's not a bad idea on the online dating. Though it would probably mean Facebook becoming much more transparent regarding what data they collect on you, at least to the unknowing majority. That's something I really don't see happening.
- flycaliguy 9y ago
  Yeah, you might also have newly formed couples becoming weary of their partner continuing to use Facebook.

dazc 9y ago

Just from witnessing what people are looking at on their smartphones (in Spain), couple of years ago it was all facebook now it's all whatsapp - even older age groups (60+). Only people I know ever mentioning facebook are (as mentioned in the other reply) middle-aged upwards.

leereeves 9y ago
Doesn't Facebook own whatsapp? They're not leaving Facebook, just switching from one Facebook property to another.
- s_kilk 9y ago
  Facebook do own Whatsapp, but if people are staying in Whatsapp then they're never engaging on the Facebook platform, and thus never generating ad revenue. It's strictly a loss for Facebook, unless they can figure out how to monetize Whatsapp to the same extent as their main platform.
- dazc 9y ago
  You are correct but if the trend is moving from a heavily monetised property to one that isn't....?
  - bionoid 9y ago
    ... then they will monetise it.
    - dazc 9y ago
      ....then people will flock elsewhere, maybe?
      - fwn 9y ago
        Which is reasonable, given that WhatsApps social graph is your phonebook and therefore portable. This is different with facebook or facebook messenger.