It's over! Social Networking is sooo last year!

Bruce Lindfield · #1 02-26-2008, 08:18 AM

So - for the first time since these things started - Facebook,MySpace etc. showed a decline in numbers in early 2008.

I've been listening to radio programmes where 'da kiz' are saying that this stuff is boring and they hate all the ads/commercials! "It's like doing the same thing over and over...?"

Facebook users in the UK, fell 5% to 8.5 million in January from 8.9 million in December, according to data from Nielsen Online.

This was the first drop in user numbers since July 2006 when Nielsen began compiling data on the site.

MySpace users had fallen by 5% in January, while Bebo's audience had fallen 2%.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7257073.stm

So that's it - the internet is officially boring - on to the next youth trend/passing phase...?

Baryonyx · #2 02-26-2008, 08:29 AM

This news was in the papers days ago Bruce!

Bruce Lindfield · #3 02-26-2008, 08:32 AM

Well exactly!

I was surprised nobody round here had realised and was carrying on posting - when they should know by now, that this is all such "old hat" and that "da kidz" were moving onto pastures new...!!

Leaving sites like this to "Silver Surfers" and business - how dull!

Baryonyx · #4 02-26-2008, 08:36 AM

The dip in numbers seems small though, I doubt these sites are going to disappear tomorrow!

Bruce Lindfield · #5 02-26-2008, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris2112

The dip in numbers seems small though, I doubt these sites are going to disappear tomorrow!

But the point is that up to December the numbers were always increasing - this is the first decline and is almost certainly the end of the "bubble" ...?

Expect many sites to go bust and for terminal decline to set in - their financial models ar fatally flawed anyway!

Baryonyx · #6 02-26-2008, 08:42 AM

Well yes, the decline has begun...

though I wonder how long it will be until these sites are gone for good because they're no longer viable to run.

Flabby1 · #7 02-26-2008, 08:43 AM

myspace cancelled my account cause i hadn't logged in in so long.

Bruce Lindfield · #8 02-26-2008, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris2112

Well yes, the decline has begun...

though I wonder how long it will be until these sites are gone for good because they're no longer viable to run.

Well their model is based on selling advertising space - but it's pretty clear that the audience hate this commercialisation and so the more ads, the smaller the audience!

FL Knifemaker · #9 02-26-2008, 09:05 AM

I now have a much greater appreciation for my ignore function

Bryan316 · #10 02-26-2008, 09:07 AM

I don't use Myspace for finding ugly chicks, I use it for band/gig related stuff only. So this news does not suprise me at all.

Valerus · #11 02-26-2008, 09:10 AM

I barely use myspace...only for supporting bands.

And for facebook, it's great to get in touch with friends.

iamlowsound · #12 02-26-2008, 09:12 AM

Well that might be true in the UK, but there was just a report about facebook's use here in Canada and how much it was going up.

lowsound

Bruce Lindfield · #13 02-26-2008, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Valerus

And for facebook, it's great to get in touch with friends.

On another radio programme I heard - they were mentioning how it was used to make contact with school friends where people had lost touch.

But there are only some many times people really need to do this and then if they become real friends you will see them in person.

So by now everybody who needed to use it, has done and there is no longer any "momentum"...just a steady decline.

Bruce Lindfield · #14 02-26-2008, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamlowsound

Well that might be true in the UK, but there was just a report about facebook's use here in Canada and how much it was going up.

lowsound

You're just behind the times - following the trends rather than setting them!!

zen brain · #15 02-26-2008, 09:16 AM

i had a myspace back in uhh... 06 and just the a bit of 07. everyone stopped using it and switched to facebook. me, i'm a rebel. not on facebook.

everyone can act pretty fake online so i'm not exactly seeing the point of it. unless you wanna e-stalk girls or something.

i'd rather meet people in person.

Valerus · #16 02-26-2008, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Lindfield

On another radio programme I heard - they were mentioning how it was used to make contact with school friends where people had lost touch.

But there are only some many times people really need to do this and then if they become real friends you will see them in person.

So by now everybody who needed to use it, has done and there is no longer any "momentum"...just a steady decline.

True. And it's a way to meet people.
I've met a couple of people on facebook first. It's pretty weird.

zen brain · #17 02-26-2008, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Lindfield

You're just behind the times - following the trends rather than setting them!!

i'm pretty sure you're right about him.

but i think i heard just last year that toronto uses facebook like two or three times more than the 3 biggest facebook using cities in the US.

which, if true, is ****ing crazy.

Bruce Lindfield · #18 02-26-2008, 09:21 AM

Maybe it's because it's too cold to actually go out of doors in winter!!

zen brain · #19 02-26-2008, 09:24 AM

it's true

Bob Clayton · #20 02-26-2008, 09:29 AM

well... wouldn't it make sense for registration numbers to be down?
everyone already has one anyway!

and as for accounts dropping.
i bet you a lot of those accounts were fake accounts/accounts no longer used/pr0n/spam or any other kind of unnecessary account that has been removed.

trust me, these sites are not going anywhere.