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The number of monthly active users on two social media platforms operated by U.S.-based Meta has recently declined in South Korea. It signals growing concerns surrounding fake news and scams on these services.
Data Reveals Drop in Active Users
According to mobile index data from industry tracker IGAWorks, the number of active Instagram users in November reached 18.65 million, marking a continuous decline for the third consecutive month. This figure is based on data obtained from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store, according to Korea Bizwire. An active user is defined as someone who accesses the service at least once within a given month.
In November, the local user count on Facebook dropped to 8.94 million, a significant milestone as it is the first time since May 2020 that the local user count on Facebook has fallen below 9 million as analyzed by the mobile index. Previously, in February, the figure had dipped below 10 million, reaching 9.8 million.
Experts attribute this recent decline to the growing prevalence of fake news and scam content on these platforms. Additionally, many users express their discontent with the increasing number of advertisements appearing on their feeds, often overshadowing posts from their acquaintances.
Instagram's Monetization Features to Launch in Korea
Meanwhile, the forthcoming launch of Instagram's paid features in Korea is expected to boost its popularity. Last week, Korea Joongang Daily reported that Meta Korea will roll out two of Instagram's paid features as a beta version of the services, offering monetization opportunities for creators.
The paid subscription service on Instagram allows followers to access exclusive content generated by their favorite creators for a monthly fee. Creators have the freedom to set the price according to their discretion.
Another feature, Instagram Gift, enables creators to monetize their Reels content based on virtual gifts sent by their followers. This unique functionality has already been introduced in several countries, starting with the United States in February.
Photo: dole777/Unsplash
