Facebook used less for news as youngsters turn to WhatsApp: Reuters Institute

[DonViejo]

Source: Reuters



JUNE 13, 2018 / 7:04 PM / UPDATED 11 HOURS AGO

Guy Faulconbridge

LONDON (Reuters) - The use of social media networks such as Facebook (FB.O) to consume news has started to fall in the United States as many young people turn toward messaging apps such as Facebook-owned WhatsApp to discuss events, the Reuters Institute found.

Usage of Facebook, the world’s largest social network, for news is down 9 percentage points from 2017 in the United States and down 20 points for younger audiences, according to the Reuters Institute survey of 74,000 people in 37 markets.

“The use of social media for news has started to fall in a number of key markets after years of continuous growth,” Nic Newman, research associate at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, said in the Digital News Report.

“We continue to see a rise in the use of messaging apps for news as consumers look for more private (and less confrontational) spaces to communicate,” Newman said.





Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-media-facebook/facebook-used-less-for-news-as-youngsters-turn-to-whatsapp-reuters-institute-idUSKBN1J939N?il=0

[Roy Rolling]

1. Facebook

Facebook has two user groups now: Ordinary people, including progressives, who post about raccoons on buildings and very important news events.

And right-wingers who post every political propaganda story published by the Kremlin, and stories about raccoons, who are rescued thanks to Führer Trump's animal policies. Much better than Obama raccoon federal policies.

[oberliner]

2. Almost no one in the US uses WhatsApp

It's big in Saudi Arabia and Malaysia.

[ToxMarz]

3. Facebook owns WhatApp

So they're still using Facebook.

[blugbox]

5. Thank you!!

Came here to post this.

It's still Facebook.

[IronLionZion]

4. WhatsApp is often used for international communication

since it doesn't cost anything unlike phone calls. It's very popular in Asia and Latin America.

[lagomorph777]

6. Why are people getting news from Putin collaborators?

I am very glad that DU is my only social networking. The rest of it looks like pure totalitarian propaganda and BS to me.