[cliveowen]

When will we stop crying wolf for every tech company's demise when there's no enough data to support any kind of underlying trend?

3 million is a drop in the ocean for Facebook and I don't even know how much valuable the teen demographic might be. Teen for the most part don't have jobs (heck, these days even older men have trouble finding jobs) and have to beg parents to buy them things. If you advertise a certain product on Facebook they don't go to, say, Amazon and translate the intention into action, so conversion rates must be abysmally low.

Trust me, Facebook can take it.

[mullingitover]

> When will we stop crying wolf for every tech company's demise when there's no enough data to support any kind of underlying trend?

I don't think it's tech companies in general that we're looking for the demise of. Social networks have been observed to have a short shelf life. Friendster had a meteoric rise and fall. MySpace had a meteoric rise and fall. Facebook has had a meteoric rise, and many people are waiting for their inevitable meteoric fall, and wondering who'll be next. Facebook seems to be intent on learning from history, hence their expensive acquisisitions of potential competitors.

[dnautics]

I think your overall argument might be correct, but 25% of a demographic slice is hardly a drop in the ocean.

[Ensorceled]

Slight correction:

"I think your overall argument might be correct, but 25% of a critical demographic slice is hardly a drop in the ocean."

[brazzy]

The question is whether teens actually are a critical demographic to Facebook.

Others here have already suggested that the main selling point of Facebook (keep in touch with friends and relatives whom you don't personally meet often) is not appealing to teenagers who see their friends daily and already have more contact with their parents than they'd ideally want.

[Ensorceled]

Teens and 18-24 are a critical demographic to ANY site that sells advertising.

[brazzy]

That's so last millenium thinking.... http://www.fastcocreate.com/1679811/rise-of-the-olds-adverti...

[lotso]

Sure, Facebook can take it, but that is a bellweather group.