Facebook Skyrocketing Growth Begins To Level Off
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) – Facebook may have over 800 million users, but the company's rocket-fueled user growth may be starting to slow. The social network is seeing fewer new users, not only in the U.S., but also in overseas markets.
Facebook added 45 million users at the end of 2011, but that was its smallest increase since the spring of 2009. Even in Asia, fourth quarter user growth was its weakest in over a year and a half according to its IPO finding. KCBS Technology Analyst Larry Magid said that Facebook is likely slowing overseas because many countries have their own local social networks that are more popular than Facebook.
"For example, I'm in Russia right now where there's a service that's popular among Russians because they do a better job with the Russian language, and it's focused on the Russian experience, so I've talked to people who say they prefer it to Facebook," said Magid.
KCBS' Matt Bigler Reports:
Analysts are also looking for signs of Facebook fatigue as the company prepares to go public. However, a new study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project found no evidence of that among long-time users. In fact, the company said that more regular Facebook users are logging in every day.
Related:
Puffed-Up User Numbers May Mean Facebook Is Overvalued
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