This week, emails between Mark Zuckerberg (CEO of Meta) and Tom Alison (head of Facebook) were revealed in court amid the FTC’s antitrust investigation against Meta – showing Zuckerberg’s concern for the declining popularity of Facebook.
These emails were sent in April 2022, and while Facebook’s overall user numbers may seem okay, Zuckerberg feels the platform is losing its cultural charm and relevance. This could be a warning sign of a larger problem in the future.
He emphasizes that the health of Facebook is crucial to Meta’s overall success, regardless of how well Instagram or WhatsApp may perform. If Facebook falters, it could have a significant impact.
So, what’s plaguing Facebook? According to the emails, there are five key issues:
1. Friend requests are becoming burdensome
Many users on Facebook have friends they are no longer interested in following or engaging with further. The act of adding friends feels cumbersome in this day and age.
Users feel that following someone on Instagram is more appealing than adding them on Facebook. Zuckerberg even suggested a strange idea of clearing out the friend list entirely and starting fresh with new friend lists.
2. Other platforms make following more appealing
Even Zuckerberg himself leans towards following popular figures on Instagram or Twitter more than on Facebook, as he perceives them to be more current. This reflects Facebook’s potential stagnation due to a lack of adapting to other platforms’ following models.
3. Facebook Groups are losing traction
Despite efforts to promote Facebook Groups over the years, it remains unclear how much more they can grow. Moreover, such behavior may now be shifting towards private chats instead.
4. Reels keep users around but lack personal connections
While Reels may increase user time on the platform, most users feel disconnected from the content creators because Reels are not primarily created within Facebook’s platform. Moreover, the platform lacks fresh and unique content, unlike other platforms.
5. Facing stiff competition – including Instagram
Aside from TikTok, YouTube, Twitter, Reddit, Facebook also competes with Instagram. Zuckerberg aims to strategize for the growth of both platforms together rather than letting them cannibalize each other or one overshadow the other.
In summary, Facebook still has a significant user base, but Zuckerberg fears it is losing its place in people’s daily lives. If changes are not made quickly, the future may be bleak.
Source: Business Insider
**TLDR: Zuckerberg’s concern over Facebook’s declining relevance and cultural charm is highlighted in court-revealed emails amid the FTC investigation against Meta. Addressing issues like burdensome friend requests and fierce competition is crucial for the platform’s survival.**
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