In a recent earnings call with investors, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg sparked curiousity by hinting at a “return to OG Facebook” by 2025. The details of this revamp remain scant but reflect Meta’s urgent need to recapture the attention of younger Facebook users for long-term sustainability.
When probed about his plans, Zuckerberg revealed that “OG Facebook” is a priority for Meta. Although this reimagination may affect short-term business results, as Zuckerberg warned investors, he assured that rollout would begin in about six months.
Zuckerberg’s plans are a response to a concerning trend—the plummeting interest of younger users in Facebook. Research highlights a significant shift in user demographics with Gen Z preferring social platforms like Tiktok, Instagram, and Snapchat over Facebook. The younger generation is often more attracted to practical features like the Facebook Marketplace rather than its social networking aspects.
In an attempt to recapture the Gen Z demographic, Meta launched a redesign of its social network in 2024, with a focus on local community information, videos, and Facebook Groups. However, its effectiveness against competitors like TikTok remains questionable, especially with Gen Z ready to jump ship to platforms like RedNote during the brief TikTok ban.
The idea of reviving old charm seems tough. A return to its original exclusivity didn’t succeed with Facebook Campus, a platform specifically for college and university students. Similarly, attempts to pull in new users through services like online dating have seen minimal success.
In the tech backdrop, new social networks are mushrooming, powered by protocols like ActivityPub and AT Protocol, offering people control over their data and connections. These networks may pose a challenge to the concept of an “OG Facebook.”
Meta has been grappling with Facebook’s declining popularity for years, even introducing new metrics for investors and phasing out per-app metrics in quarterly reports. This move, likely designed to obscure Facebook’s dwindling user base, is another indicator of the struggle the social network faces.
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