Teens Tire of Facebook ‘Drama’

Although it is still the most popular social network, US teens are losing enthusiasm for Facebook, according to a new report from US think-tank Pew Research Centre.

Its Teens, Social Media and Privacy report surveyed 802 teens aged between 12 and 17 across the US. It found that teenagers are beginning to tire of Facebook “drama” and of having to regulate their activity on a network also used by parents and family friends.

“Teens dislike the increasing number of adults on the site, get annoyed when their Facebook friends share inane details, and are drained by the ‘drama’ they described as happening frequently on the site,” the report said.

However, despite their frustrations, Facebook is still by far the most popular social network among this age group, with 77% of online teens using the site. The popularity of micro-blogging platform Twitter has also grown significantly in the past year, with 24% of teens now active on the service compared to 16% in 2011. Some 11% of teens use photo-sharing Instagram.

The Pew report reinforces key messages from Stylus’ US Teens and Social Media report, which looked at how social media use among Gen Z consumers impacts their offline behaviour. For more insights into the behaviour of today’s teenagers, look out for the Smart Teens report in our upcoming industry trend, Redefine.

Teens, Social Media and Privacy’, Pew Institute