Recent data from multiple analytics firms suggests that calls for a boycott of Meta’s platforms have had little impact on user engagement, despite Mark Zuckerberg’s decision to cut biased left-wing “fact checking” programs and the Silicon Valley giant’s DEI initiatives.
Business Insider reports that in the wake of Meta’s announcement that it would eliminate its biased third-party “fact checking” and scale back its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, thousands of users expressed their intention to leave the company’s platforms. However, data from several market intelligence firms indicate that these calls for a boycott have not significantly affected user engagement on Meta’s core platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram.
According to Apptopia, a market intelligence firm, Facebook’s daily active users (DAUs) initially declined by about two percent year-over-year following the policy changes. However, this trend was quickly reversed after news of a potential TikTok ban in the United States surfaced, prompting users to return to Meta’s platforms. Instagram experienced an even stronger rebound, with DAUs rising above the previous year’s levels on January 18, 19, and 20.
Thomas Grant, vice president of research at Apptopia, stated, “The data — especially the number of daily active users (DAUs) — tells the story that usage started to fall after all the headlines came out about the changes Meta was making. But, then the news about the potential TikTok ban changed that trend and people started engaging with the [apps] more again.”
Interestingly, a survey conducted by CivicScience found that 36 percent of the 1,346 American participants supported Meta’s decision to replace fact-checking with Community Notes, compared to 32 percent who opposed the move. Support was particularly strong among Gen Z users aged 18-24, with 53 percent backing the changes.
Data from App Figures, another market intelligence firm, revealed that while US downloads for Facebook and Instagram declined slightly following the policy changes (eight percent and five percent, respectively), the revenue generated from in-app purchases on these platforms increased during the same period. Globally, Instagram’s downloads increased by five percent, while Facebook saw a modest one percent uptick.
Randy Nelson, head of insights at App Figures, stated, “After looking at the download and revenue data for Meta’s social apps, I was unable to detect any substantial or out-of-the-ordinary decline. In fact, in some cases there were increases.”
Sensor Tower, yet another market intelligence firm, found that user activity across Meta’s apps has remained steady since the policy changes. Only Instagram experienced a brief one percent weekly decrease in average DAUs immediately following the announcements but quickly recovered the following week.
The data suggests that despite the calls for a boycott, Meta’s platforms, which boast more than three billion users worldwide, remain firmly entrenched. The potential TikTok ban in the United States may have overshadowed concerns about Meta’s policy changes, as users sought alternative short-form video platforms like Instagram Reels.
Read more at Business Insider here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
