SEOUL - Recent data reveals a significant decline in monthly active users on Instagram and Facebook, major social media platforms owned by U.S.-based Meta. This decrease is attributed to increasing concerns over the prevalence of fake news and scams on these platforms.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Industry tracker IGAWorks' mobile index data indicates that the number of active Instagram users in November was approximately 18.65 million, marking a continuous drop for the third month in a row. This data, derived from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store, reflects a notable shift in user engagement on the platform. An active user is defined as someone who accesses the service at least once in a given month.
Similarly, Facebook witnessed a decline in its user base, with the local user count in South Korea falling to 8.94 million in November. This drop is significant as it marks the first time Facebook's user count dipped below 9 million since May 2020, when the mobile index began analyzing monthly active users of both Instagram and Facebook. Earlier in February, the user count had already experienced a decrease, reaching 9.8 million.
Experts attribute this downturn to the rising volume of fake news and scam content on these social media platforms, which has been a growing concern among users. Additionally, there has been criticism regarding the increasing number of advertisements on user feeds, which often overshadow posts from friends and family, further impacting the overall user experience.
The declining numbers highlight the challenges faced by social media giants in maintaining user engagement amid concerns over content quality and user experience.