Facebook is a site that once monopolized the world of social media. From young children to senior citizens, Facebook is a fantastic way to connect and communicate with friends and family. New social media giants have risen in recent years. Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and Pinterest are just a few of the outlets used by hundreds of thousands of people. With the mounting competition, Facebook seems to be at risk of falling out of popularity. Even though statistics show that Facebook is in fact more popular than ever, the question remains, are young adults still using Facebook?  According to the Pew Research Center, young adults use social media sites more than any other demographic. If Facebook loses the largest group of social media users, what could happen?

Here at Central High School, there is a very diverse student body. “I think most people who use others sites don’t use Facebook as much,” explained Daejanae Williams, a senior at Central. Although she has a Facebook account, she prefers other sites instead. “People only use Facebook if they don’t have anything else,” joked Williams.

If young people would rather use other social media sites, there must be factors pushing them away from Facebook. Sophomore Sarah Lyles and senior Amanda Barnes shed some light on what these might be. “If your parents and relatives are all on [Facebook], you can’t say what you really want to,” Lyles stated earnestly. Barnes agreed, explaining that she only used Facebook to communicate with family. “I would use other sites to communicate with friends my age,” Barnes said with a shrug.

The truth is, young people feel like Facebook is overrun with adults.  Other social media sites have become a safe haven from the judgmental eyes of parents, relatives, and other adults. For many teenagers, finding a place to express themselves freely is not easy. Many social media sites can fill this need, but Facebook sadly is not one of them.