In a significant moment during the ongoing Federal Trade Commission (FTC) antitrust case, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has publicly acknowledged a key shift in digital behavior: users are spending less time on Facebook and Instagram. This admission comes at a time when Meta’s business strategies and competitive practices are under intense legal scrutiny, especially regarding its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp. The revelation not only impacts how Meta positions itself in the digital landscape but also holds important implications for the future of X marketing and social media advertising.
Meta’s Legal Battle and the Broader Digital Competition
Meta is currently embroiled in a high-profile antitrust case, with the FTC alleging that its dominance in the social media sector stifles competition. Over several days in federal court, Zuckerberg has been questioned about the motivations behind Meta’s purchase of Instagram and WhatsApp, as well as its attempt to acquire Snapchat in 2013 and 2016. Much of the testimony has rehashed well-known facts: Meta sought to expand its reach, saw upstart platforms as potential threats, and has long recognized TikTok as a formidable rival.
Despite these revelations, industry analysts argue that the FTC may face an uphill battle in proving Meta’s monopoly, especially given the rise of strong competitors like TikTok and Snapchat. The diversity in user preferences and the proliferation of platforms have made the social media and X marketing spaces more fragmented than ever before.
A Decline in User Engagement: The Numbers Behind the Trend
What truly stood out from Zuckerberg’s recent testimony was his direct admission that time spent on Facebook and Instagram has “gone down meaningfully.” According to reporting by The Information, Zuckerberg elaborated that much of the personal interaction once happening on these platforms has shifted to private messaging apps.
For years, Meta regularly boasted about the high engagement levels on its platforms. In 2016, the company reported that users spent an average of over 50 minutes per day across Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger. However, after this peak, Meta stopped disclosing time-spent metrics, a move that many observers interpreted as a sign that growth had plateaued or even declined.
Recent third-party studies reinforce this notion. Guggenheim Partners, analyzing data from Apptopia, found that American TikTok users now spend an average of 108 minutes daily on the app, dwarfing Facebook’s average of 63 minutes and Instagram’s 48 minutes. While these figures may seem high due to a broad user base that includes both casual check-ins and endless scrollers, the comparison is telling: TikTok has captured almost twice as much of users’ daily attention as Facebook.
The Rise of TikTok and the Shifting Landscape of X Marketing
The meteoric rise of TikTok has dramatically altered the digital marketing ecosystem. For years, Facebook and Instagram were the default platforms for X marketing campaigns, given their massive, engaged audiences. Brands invested heavily in Facebook and Instagram advertising, leveraging sophisticated targeting and creative tools to reach consumers.
However, TikTok’s addictive, algorithm-driven feed has proven especially captivating for younger users, drawing attention—and marketing dollars—away from Meta’s platforms. In response, Meta has attempted to stem the tide by injecting more AI-recommended Reels into user feeds on Facebook and Instagram. Despite these efforts, Zuckerberg’s admission points to a “meaningful” reduction in overall engagement, suggesting these measures have not fully offset TikTok’s appeal.
For marketers, this means reevaluating where and how to allocate budgets for X marketing. While Facebook and Instagram remain crucial due to their sheer scale, the most dynamic growth and user engagement are happening elsewhere. X marketing strategies now increasingly emphasize short-form video content, influencer partnerships, and cross-platform campaigns to stay relevant.
Private Messaging: The New Frontier
Another trend highlighted by Zuckerberg’s testimony is the ongoing shift from public sharing to private messaging. He noted that much of the direct interaction between friends has migrated to messaging apps—a trend Meta has extensively tracked and attempted to capitalize on with investments in Messenger and WhatsApp.
This move toward private, encrypted conversations reflects changing user preferences for more intimate, less performative digital interactions. For X marketing professionals, it presents both a challenge and an opportunity: traditional social ads may have less reach, but personalized, conversational marketing through messaging apps could become the next big frontier.
Social Graph Fatigue and the Case for a “Reset”
Among the more intriguing tidbits from Zuckerberg’s court appearance was his past suggestion to erase all users’ social graphs as a way to refresh Facebook’s engagement. Over the years, users’ feeds have become cluttered with updates from acquaintances, brands, and pages followed out of fleeting interest. This “social graph fatigue” can dilute the relevance of content, leading to less meaningful engagement.
Although Meta never acted on the idea of a full reset, Zuckerberg has recently talked about a return to the “OG Facebook,” sparking speculation about future changes to how the platform curates content. Such a move could, in theory, make Facebook more engaging by prioritizing truly meaningful connections and relevant notifications.
For X marketing strategists, understanding how users curate their social graphs—and how platforms surface content—will be vital for campaign success in a more selective and privacy-focused environment.
What’s Next for Meta and X Marketing?
As the FTC case unfolds—it could continue for up to two months—the outcome remains uncertain. While it seems unlikely that Meta will be forced to divest Instagram or WhatsApp based on current evidence, the trial’s revelations have made one thing clear: the social media landscape is evolving rapidly, and Meta is no longer the unchallenged king of user engagement.
For X marketing professionals, the implications are profound. Campaigns must be more agile, creative, and cross-platform than ever before. TikTok, with its surging engagement, is now a centerpiece of many digital strategies. Meanwhile, Facebook and Instagram, despite their billions of users, face challenges in retaining the kind of active, engaged audiences that make X marketing campaigns truly effective.
Meta’s willingness to admit declining engagement signals a new era of transparency—but also underlines the urgent need for innovation, both for the platform and for the marketers who depend on it.
Conclusion: Navigating the New Social Media Reality
Mark Zuckerberg’s acknowledgment that time spent on Facebook and Instagram is declining marks a turning point in the digital marketing world. As user attention shifts toward new platforms and private conversations, both Meta and X marketing professionals must adapt to maintain relevance. The future will demand not just better content, but smarter, more diversified strategies that meet users where they are—whether that’s in a public feed, a private chat, or an entirely new kind of social experience.
The social media battleground is shifting, and the winners in X marketing will be those who can keep pace with these rapid changes.