Facebook loses 1.4m US users

Facebook lost 1.4 million users across America during Christmas, according to a recent report from social media monitoring company SocialBakers.

While reasons for the drop in usage remain unknown, industry experts speculate on digital detoxing and a general tiredness of social media during the holiday period.

With over 167 million users in America, MarketWatch attributed the loss to losing the entire population of San Antonio, Texas.

“Facebook is possibly getting to a point where the less engaged part of the audience doesn’t visit every 30 days,” says Jan Rezab, CEO, SocialBakers.

With a 54% share of the market in the U.S., some experts are unconcerned with the decline, believing it was inevitable Facebook's growth would start slowing.

Taking a break?

MarketWatch went on to discuss the idea of users simply taking a break from social media, or even gaining or losing interest like any other aspect of life.

“In the New Year, a number of people take a break from social, and others decide it’s a time suck, so remove their accounts all together,” says Jennifer P. Brown, independent social media analyst.

With this in mind it could be worth checking your own Facebook account to see if any of your friends have in fact taken a break or quit altogether with the New Year and subsequent resolutions seeming as good a time as any to implement any life changes.

Did you give social media a rest over the holidays? Tell us your experiences below