“..After five years on Facebook, Maxine Guttmann, 15, just isn’t that into it.
She visits Facebook less frequently than ever – mostly to instant message with friends -
- and while she updates her Tumblr blog daily, it’s been “weeks” since she’s shared on Facebook.
“When I was little, Facebook was the coolest thing to do.
And I as got older, it got stupider and I have more commitments,” said Guttmann, a rising junior in New York City.
“On Tumblr, I feel like I can post all the stuff I’m interested in.
On Facebook, not all my friends are interested in the same stuff I am.
And a lot aren’t even my close friends anymore.”
Amid doubts following Facebook’s disappointing public offering – teens have been a bright spot for the social network.
Co-founder Mark Zuckerberg might not have figured out how to maintain ad revenue momentum or adapt to cellphones, but with 93 percent of 12- to 17-year-old social media users on Facebook – it’s long been assumed this young army of digital natives would build a solid foundation for Facebook.
That foundation is looking shaky.
For teens, Facebook has become the equivalent of Microsoft Outlook or AOL Instant Messenger, experts say:
It has evolved from a hot hangout, to a practical and dull tool for chatting about homework or catching up with faraway friends.
Bored, overwhelmed by huge friend groups – and exhausted by the digital popularity contests Facebook fosters -
- many teens are taking refuge in social services such as Tumblr and Twitter…”
(cont..)
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