Detailing the Delete Facebook Phenomenon
Last Updated on Aug 24, 2026
Facebook: A social media platform with no shortage of puppy pictures, cooking videos, and privacy scandals.
42% of Facebook users have taken a break from the site in the past year
| Activity in the last 12 months | % of Facebook users |
|---|---|
| Any of the activities | 74% |
| Adjusted their privacy settings | 54% |
| Taken a break from checking for several weeks or more | 42% |
| Deleted the app from their phone | 26% |
Note: Those who did not answer or gave other responses are not shown.
Source: Survey conducted May 29–June 11, 2018. Pew Research Center.
2018 was a tumultuous year for Facebook. That was when the Cambridge Analytica scandal broke out, revealing Facebook’s hand at the unconsented release of Facebook users’ to the British consulting firm.
It was never the same for Facebook after that. Research shows that after the Cambridge Analytica debacle, 3 in 4 Facebook users in 2018 made some effort to adjust their presence on the site, including 42 percent who took a break.
The Delete Facebook phenomenon is real – and it hasn’t slowed down. To dig deeper into it, we surveyed 1,000 people on the social media giant’s trustworthiness, how their lives changed after deleting Facebook, and why other people just can’t seem to quit it. Here’s what they told us.
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>> Learn More: The Data Big Tech Companies Have On You
The Digital Detox
Who Has Deleted Their Facebook and Why?
Percentage deleting or deactivating their Facebook account: 7.8%
| Generation | Percent who deleted or deactivated |
|---|---|
| Baby Boomers | 1.1% |
| Generation X | 7.5% |
| Millennials | 9.2% |
Reasons for Deleting Facebook
| Reason | Percent of respondents |
|---|---|
| I didn’t want Facebook having my personal information | 65.8% |
| I was worried about my privacy | 60.8% |
| There was too much unnecessary drama | 58.2% |
| There were too many political arguments | 43.0% |
| I spent too much time on it | 40.5% |
| I kept comparing my life to other people | 31.6% |
| My interactions on Facebook felt fake | 31.6% |
| There were too many ads | 26.6% |
| I was embarrassed by my friends’ posts | 13.9% |
| I visited my exes’ profiles too often | 12.7% |
| I saw pictures of my exes too often | 8.9% |
| My parents joined and ruined it for me | 7.6% |
| I was bullied on Facebook | 1.3% |
Source: Survey of 1,012 people who’ve ever had a Facebook account.
Social media has become a truly global phenomenon. No matter where you live or how old you are, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve encountered it. And while the basics — liking, sharing, scrolling — haven’t changed much, the demographics of who’s actually using these platforms have shifted. Studies show that about 83 percent of U.S. adults use social media, with younger adults still leading the pack — around 95 percent of adults ages 18 to 29 are active on at least one platform. But how many of those users are quietly wondering if it’s all worth it? Check out what people think about whether social media is ruining their lives.
Even though there’s a longstanding perception that millennials have a social media addiction, our survey tells a more nuanced story — they’re actually the most likely generation to delete or deactivate their Facebook accounts. About 9 percent of millennials have already made the cut, compared to just 1 percent of baby boomers and nearly 8 percent of Gen Xers. Turns out, growing up with social media might make you more willing to walk away from it.
Estimated 2018 Revenue Lost Due to Deleted Facebook Accounts
| Facebook average revenue per user* | Estimated number of users who have deleted their Facebook account | Estimated 2018 revenue lost due to deleted accounts |
|---|---|---|
| $7.37 | 196.3M | $1.4B |
*In Q4 2018
Note: The revenue estimate is based on superficial numbers. The average revenue per user could have changed throughout the year, and Facebook may have collected revenue from users who deleted their account at some point in 2018.
Among those who have gotten rid of Facebook, data privacy seemed to be the main driving factor. Nearly 66 percent of people who deleted Facebook did so because they didn’t want the social media platform to have their personal data. Facebook — now operating under Meta — has faced sustained criticism over how it handles user data, particularly around sharing information with third-party applications. That scrutiny hasn’t let up — in May 2023, Meta was hit with a record €1.2 billion fine by the EU’s Irish Data Protection Commission for mishandling user data transfers. A lot of people also criticize Facebook for the volume of data it collects and how that data is used for ad-targeting.
Another 61 percent were worried about their privacy, followed by too much unnecessary drama (58.2 percent), political arguments (43 percent), and overuse (40.5 percent). If you’re thinking about deleting Facebook over privacy concerns, make sure to check out our Identity Theft Protection Guide for more tips on protecting your privacy.
Seeing the Silver Lining
The Effects of Deleting Facebook
How respondents’ happiness has changed since deleting Facebook
| Happiness change | Percent of respondents |
|---|---|
| I am significantly less happy | 0% |
| I am slightly less happy | 0% |
| Neither less nor more happy | 13.9% |
| I am slightly happier | 40.5% |
| I am significantly happier | 45.6% |
Percentage who said their following relationships improved after deleting Facebook
| Relationship | Percent who said it improved |
|---|---|
| Significant other | 44.6% |
| Friend | 26.9% |
| Other family | 16.4% |
| Acquaintance | 15.8% |
| Sibling | 12.7% |
| Parent | 12.2% |
53.1% of men said their relationship with their significant other was better since deleting Facebook.
15.8% of women said their relationship with their parent(s) was better since deleting Facebook.
Source: Survey of 1,012 people who’ve ever had a Facebook account.
Social media isn’t all bad, but research continues to point to negative side effects that users should be aware of. The average person spends about two hours and 21 minutes every day on social media, and for some, it can encourage addictive behavior, promote stress and anxiety, and make it harder to get quality sleep. Social media platforms are also how kids cyberbully their classmates. If you want a deeper understanding of cyberbullying to protect your kids, we compiled crucial statistics about cyberbullying.
On the contrary, those who made the effort to delete or deactivate Facebook reported improvements in their lives. Nearly half of them (46 percent) said they were significantly happier after getting rid of Facebook, while 41 percent said it made them slightly happier.
Ditching Facebook may also have a positive impact on romantic relationships. The people polled admitted their relationship with their significant other was better since they deleted Facebook. Because of the way we gravitate toward our phones and social media constantly, relationship experts argue that apps like Facebook can make our partners feel devalued and unappreciated.
Percentage who said they do the following more since deleting Facebook
| Activity | Percent of respondents |
|---|---|
| Read | 54.4% |
| Spend time with friends/family | 50.6% |
| Watch TV | 50.6% |
| Exercise | 46.8% |
One of the reasons Facebook quitters report feeling happier is simply the gift of time. Reports found that the average person spends roughly 30 minutes a day on Facebook — and when you add in the broader Meta ecosystem, that number climbs even higher. Even at half an hour a day, that’s still more than 180 hours a year — nearly an entire work month — freed up the moment you log off for good.
The people we surveyed said that removing Facebook from their lives permitted them to do more reading, spend time with family and friends, watch TV, and exercise – instead of being hunched over their phones scrolling on Facebook.
Name Your Price
How Much Would It Take to Permanently Delete Facebook?
Average dollar amount it would take to permanently delete Facebook: $1,609
By Gender
| Gender | Average dollar amount |
|---|---|
| Men | $1,129 |
| Women | $2,074 |
By Generation
| Generation | Average dollar amount |
|---|---|
| Baby Boomers | $1,983 |
| Generation X | $1,892 |
| Millennials | $1,468 |
Source: Survey of 1,012 people who’ve ever had a Facebook account.
Not everyone is willing to give up Facebook – at least not without a little nudge. To see how much people value their Facebook accounts, we asked our respondents how much it would cost to get them to delete Facebook permanently. They named their price: On average, men are willing to give up Facebook for good for $1,129. The average asking price for women was nearly double that at $2,047.
There’s also a significant disparity between generations. Millennials are willing to give up Facebook for the least amount of money – just $1,468 on average. Gen X ($1,892) and baby boomers ($1,983) asked for a bit more.
Surprisingly, these numbers are pretty close to the results we got from our recent survey where we asked 3,000 Americans “How Much Would You Sell Your Social Media Data For?” We found out that the average person would sell it all for just over $2,000.
On the Fence
Percentage of Current Facebook Users Who’ve Considered Deleting Their Account
By Gender
| Gender | Percent who have considered deleting |
|---|---|
| Overall | 61.7% |
| Men | 64.4% |
| Women | 59.3% |
By Generation
| Generation | Percent who have considered deleting |
|---|---|
| Baby Boomers | 56.2% |
| Generation X | 57.9% |
| Millennials | 64.6% |
Source: Survey of 1,012 people who’ve ever had a Facebook account.
Many Americans don’t trust Facebook, and many people surveyed at least considered doing something about it. Parents also worry about their kids use of Facebook and other social media platforms. We found out that a staggering 89% of parents support stricter legislation to protect kids on social media.
Over 64 percent of men and 59 percent of women considered deleting Facebook, including around 56 percent of baby boomers, nearly 58 percent of Gen Xers, and almost 65 percent of millennials. It might seem like a daunting task, but deleting Facebook has plenty of benefits. Not only do you get more time back in your day, but research suggests your mental well-being, focus, and overall happiness can all get a boost after a digital detox.
Finding a Use for Facebook
Reasons Current Facebook Users Don’t Delete Their Account
By Generation
| Reason | Average (percent) | Baby Boomers (percent) | Generation X (percent) | Millennials (percent) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I use Facebook to keep in touch with friends and family | 64.7% | 64.0% | 64.8% | 65.8% |
| I don’t want to lose the pictures I have on my account | 35.1% | 24.0% | 32.4% | 38.3% |
| I enjoy using Facebook | 34.1% | 32.0% | 34.5% | 34.5% |
| I feel like I would miss out on news | 29.0% | 24.0% | 26.1% | 31.0% |
| I use Facebook to log into other accounts | 26.6% | 8.0% | 20.4% | 30.7% |
| I enjoy seeing or participating in debates | 9.6% | 8.0% | 9.9% | 9.8% |
Source: Survey of 1,012 people who’ve ever had a Facebook account.
Most people don’t trust Facebook, and the physical and emotional benefits of purging it are fairly well-known, which can only mean that if unplugging from Facebook were easy, almost everyone would do it.
So what are holding people back from signing up for the Facebook cleanse? For nearly 2 in 3 people of all ages, the answer was simple: staying in touch. From its convenience to ease of use, there’s no denying that social media platforms like Facebook are successful communication devices and help us feel connected to friends and family all around the world.
While millennials were the most eager to get rid of Facebook for good, they were also the first to admit that losing their Facebook images encouraged them to stick around. Millennials were also more likely not to want to miss out on news and use Facebook to log into other online accounts. Only 34 percent of people acknowledged keeping their Facebook accounts active because they enjoyed using the service.
Popular Picks
Social Media Preferences, by Generation
Social Media Platforms Used
| Platform | Baby Boomers (percent) | Generation X (percent) | Millennials (percent) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 92.2% | 88.4% | 87.9% | |
| 37.8% | 53.2% | 67.4% | |
| X (formerly Twitter) | 51.1% | 49.4% | 51.4% |
| 21.1% | 37.5% | 49.0% | |
| 36.7% | 36.7% | 34.9% | |
| Snapchat | 2.2% | 15.7% | 39.8% |
| None | 2.2% | 1.9% | 1.3% |
Favorite Social Media Platform*
| Platform | Baby Boomers (percent) | Generation X (percent) | Millennials (percent) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 70.5% | 53.8% | 36.8% | |
| 5.7% | 12.6% | 23.2% | |
| 3.4% | 15.6% | 22.4% | |
| X (formerly Twitter) | 12.5% | 10.7% | 11.5% |
| 8.0% | 6.1% | 2.6% | |
| Snapchat | 0.0% | 1.1% | 3.5% |
*Of respondents who use social media
Source: Survey of 1,012 people who’ve ever had a Facebook account.
Despite the controversies and doubt surrounding Facebook and its management of users’ private and sensitive data, Facebook remains the most popular social media platform. Over 92 percent of baby boomers, more than 88 percent of Gen Xers, and nearly 88 percent of millennials admitted to spending the bulk of their social media hours on Facebook compared to Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), or Reddit.
Facebook also ranked as respondents’ favorite social media platform. While millennials were more inclined to have a strong affinity for Instagram and Reddit, Facebook still won out as their social media platform of choice. While nearly 71 percent of baby boomers and almost 54 percent of Gen Xers ranked Facebook as their favorite social media site, less than 37 percent of millennials said the same.
What Goes Up Must Come Down
Even after a monstrously bad year in terms of press and user trust, Facebook remains the undisputed king (or queen) of social media. Even though most people thought about deactivating their Facebook accounts, staying connected to family and friends was the biggest reason they stayed plugged in.
Just because Facebook earned the top slot among the most used and preferred social media platforms doesn’t mean its position is guaranteed forever, though. Millennials were the most likely generation to purge Facebook and do so as a result of privacy concerns. Millennials also had the least affection for Facebook, even if it still was their favorite social media platform. Considering that younger generations tend to be the heaviest social media users — and that Facebook’s share of users aged 18–29 has declined from 67 percent in 2021 to 63 percent in 2024, while platforms like Instagram and TikTok have grown among the same group — this generational shift could signal real turbulence ahead if the platform can’t rebuild the trust it has lost.
>> Learn How: How to Delete Your Facebook Account
Methodology
We collected survey responses from 1,012 people who have ever had a Facebook account. 47.8 percent of our participants were men, and 52.2 percent were women. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 83 with a mean of 36.4 and a standard deviation of 11.2. Anyone who never had a Facebook account was disqualified. Outliers were excluded from the analysis. We used Facebook’s Q4 earnings report to find out Facebook’s average revenue per user and its total number of monthly active users. We used these numbers, along with our data, to calculate how many monthly active users Facebook would have if no one deleted their Facebook account. We simply multiplied Facebook’s average revenue per user by the number of estimated additional monthly active users Facebook would have to estimate the revenue it could have made.
Fair Use Statement
Want to repost our content? We don’t need to make things Facebook official if you want to share the findings from our study for noncommercial purposes. Just include a link back to this page so that your readers know these results aren’t #FAKENEWS and our contributors get credit for their work.