TikTok has established itself as one of the top performing social media platforms for U.S. teens. The Chinese-owned short-form user video platform has constantly grown since it entered the U.S. market in 2016.
Pew Research recently released a survey that shows TikTok is currently the top social media platform for teens. Approximately 2/3 of the surveyees answered that they use TikTok. Facebook only got 32% in the same survey. Facebook is not the only social media platform that is losing the interest of U.S. teens – Conversely, Twitter and Tumblr also did not score well in the survey. The online poll covered the answers of 1,316 teens aged 13 to 17 and was conducted from April 14 to May 4, 2022.
Even though, over the years, Facebook has tried to introduce various tools that would allow users to have better control of who sees their content, teenagers are starting to not be very keen on being on the same social platform as their grandparents. So, while Meta enjoyed the fresh influx of new users over the years, this move also effectively dethroned Facebook’s reputation as the coolest kid on the block.
Facebook has not been silent. Meta has tried to capture the teens’ interest. Last month, Facebook redesigned its home feed to resemble TikTok. The new tab called ‘Feeds’ is very similar to TikTok’s algorithm of chosen videos. In 2021, Facebook also introduced ‘Reels,’ a short video format tab resembling TikTok, but Meta still failed to successfully tackle TikTok’s continuing advance.
The thirst for visual and video content is undoubtedly a significant player in teenagers’ attention. The Pew Research survey showed that YouTube is used by 95% of teens. YouTube is the most common online platform used by teens. Instagram and Snapchat are also performing well amongst teenagers. However, the survey showed that YouTube and TikTok are the platforms teens use most frequently. YouTube managed to keep teenagers interested by introducing TikTok-like features such as YouTube Shorts. Shorts is Google’s spot to shoot, share, and binge short videos (60 seconds or less) on YouTube.
Another major blow for Facebook came from the answer to the question of what app teens use almost constantly. Approximately 19% of the surveyees answered that YouTube is their platform of choice, and TikTok got 16%, followed by Snapchat with 15%, and Instagram with 10%. Facebook scored only 2%.
Facebook has undoubtedly taken a hit from teenagers, but it continues to be the largest social media platform in the world and the most preferred by adults.
TikTok can be addictive. Many antivirus software solutions come equipped with parental control functions that keep teenagers safe from nasty cyber-attacks and give parents the freedom to monitor and have a say in their child’s online behavior.
Panda Security specializes in the development of endpoint security products and is part of the WatchGuard portfolio of IT security solutions. Initially focused on the development of antivirus software, the company has since expanded its line of business to advanced cyber-security services with technology for preventing cyber-crime.
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