Instagram, Snapchat woo teens away from Facebook

San Francisco

FACEBOOK use in the US will slow as teens and young adults opt for smartphone image-sharing services Instagram and Snapchat, according to an eMarketer forecast released on Tuesday.

The market tracker expected Facebook's online community to grow, saying it would be due mainly to increased adoption by older folks while use by those 24 years of age or younger sags. "We see teens and tweens migrating to Snapchat and Instagram," said eMarketer senior forecasting analyst Oscar Orozco.

"Both platforms have found success with this demographic since they are more aligned with how they communicate - that is, using visual content." And while there are "Facebook-nevers" - children entering their teenage years without engaging on the leading social network - the Silicon Valley company owns Instagram so is still making connections with the demographic, according to the ana…