Are teenagers deserting Facebook?

The average age of U.S. Facebook users has increased from 38 to 41 in two years, while the total number of active users has dropped by more than 7% in six months. Such are the findings of Right Mix Marketing ad agency, which reports that a growing number of teenage users are abandoning the social network.

The trend is no doubt bad news for clothing brands, which have finally included Facebook in their marketing strategy after years of hesitation. Their efforts were especially aimed at reaching and retaining a younger clientele whose shopping cart totals are higher on average than those of their older peers.

But even more amazing is the primary reason for this lack of interest, namely teenagers’ parents, who are increasingly more active on the network. Half those parents who sign up for Facebook initially do so to monitor their children, and 74% check their children’s page several times a week, according to Right Mix Marketing. As a result, a third of teens say they are embarrassed by the comments from their parents, 30% would like to “unfriend” their parents since they no longer get the privacy they seek on Facebook.

As a result, teenagers are now switching to other networks, including Tumblr, Twitter, Instagram or Snapchat, a movement Facebook is well aware of. “We believe that some of our users, particularly our younger users, are aware of and actively engaging with other products and services similar to, or as a substitute for, Facebook,” said the company owned by Mark Zuckerberg in a recent financial disclosure. “For example, we believe that some of our users have reduced their engagement with Facebook in favor of increased engagement with other products and services such as Instagram.”

Are teenagers deserting Facebook?

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