As Facebook is set to release earnings on Wednesday, AppOptix is releasing a research note that looks at Facebook usage statistics in light of the Cambridge Analytica - Facebook data scandal. Facebook has come under intense scrutiny since the public became aware of Cambridge Analytica’s use of Facebook data for the 2016 Presidential election and this research note reviews the impact the event had on the Facebook Android-specific mobile platform.
Highlights on Facebook usage in light of the scandal including the following highlights:
- Facebook daily engagement is up since the scandal hit – reaching 61.4% within one week of the event. This is primarily driven by users’ concerns over the security of their personal data – that is, users reviewing their personal data and/or checking on data security settings.
- Despite the scandal, key metrics remain steady – average daily minutes of use is constant.
- The Facebook app incidence or penetration rate remained unaffected – for the two weeks before and after March 17th, the rates were 47.4% and 47.3%, respectively. The conclusion is that users WERE NOT simply removing their data and deleting the app.
- It is clear that declines in short-term Facebook app use were non-existent. That is, consumers shrugged off the incident and have maintained their usage patterns.
*Note, in the chart below the redline represents the day the Cambridge Analytica scandal became public.
