Why is Facebook losing its relevance? ‘Worried’ boss Mark Zuckerberg explains

Emails between Zuckerberg and Facebook's head were presented during the FTC's antitrust trial against Meta. Their main topic was how to keep Facebook relevant.

Published on: Apr 18, 2025, 15:23:47 IST

By HT News Desk

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Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg has been worried about Facebook's cultural relevance for years, as shown by emails between him and Facebook head Tom Alison from April 2022.

The matter was such a concern that even if Instagram and WhatsApp did well, Zuckerberg wrote he couldn't see a path to success for Meta if Facebook faltered. (AP)

These emails were presented in court this week during the FTC's antitrust trial against Meta and their main topic was on how to keep Facebook relevant, Business Insider reported.

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"Even though the FB app's engagement is steady in many places, it feels like its cultural relevance is decreasing quickly and I worry that this may be a leading indicator of future health issues," the report quoted Zuckerberg as having written.

The matter was such a concern that even if Instagram and WhatsApp did well, Zuckerberg wrote he couldn't see a path to success for Meta if Facebook faltered.

Zuckerberg pointed out that Facebook's "friending" act seems to have lost its luster. "First, a lot of people's friend graphs are stale and not filled with the people they want to hear from or connect with," he had written.

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He himself admitted that he was more likely to follow influencers on Instagram or Twitter, adding that Facebook may be losing its relevancy due to "friending" as opposed to other platforms' “following” feature.

He further presented Alison three options to help Facebook's relevancy. One of them were a "crazy idea" of wiping people's friend graphs and having them start from scratch.

Facebook's attempt to focus on communities with groups apparently also still needed work. "I'm optimistic about community messaging, but after running at groups in FB for several years, I'm not sure how much further we'll be able to push this," he had written.

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These emails came just months after Facebook widely rolled out Reels, its short-form video product resembling TikTok.

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HT News Desk
Follow the latest breaking news, major developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with the newsdesk at Hindustan Times. Operating round the clock, the desk brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across subjects that influence public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT News Desk covers politics, elections, government policies, the economy, business and markets, science and technology, the environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across states, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the newsdesk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory filings, recognised institutions and other authoritative sources. Stories undergo editorial scrutiny and verification processes to ensure accuracy, fairness and relevance, and are updated as events evolve and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a key political decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with reliable, fact-based journalism that delivers not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.Read More

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