Entry into force of the GDPR: Facebook loses millions of active users in Europe



[ad_1]

CONSEQUENCE – The Cambridge Analytica case still sticks to Facebook's skin. This week, the social network presented its second quarter financial results. Figures certainly increasing, but below the expectations of badysts. The action unscrews as European users begin to slip away after the entry into force of the GDPR

– Melinda DAVAN-SOULAS

The year 2018 is already being forgotten for Facebook. After hurricane Cambridge Analytica and data theft of millions of users at the beginning of the year, various controversies that followed, the firm of Mark Zuckerberg must face the skepticism of observers after the announcement of financial results below expectations. And to top it off, the entry into force of the RGPD in Europe has already begun to plummet its numbers of attendance.

While his action was at the highest Wednesday night (217,50 dollars, about 186 euros), the social network unveiled its financial results for the second quarter of 2018. As of June 30, Facebook recorded an increase of 11% in the number of active users per month (at least one connection) worldwide, reaching 2.23 billion. Its sales also jumped 42% to $ 13.2 billion. However, in both cases, observers expected much better. And the Palo Alto firm has already warned that growth will continue to slow while spending continues to rise in the coming months.

As a result of these forecasts: the stock quickly plunged on the New York Stock Exchange (- 19%), resulting in a heavy loss of $ 120 billion in market capitalization, probably also due to the search for profit-taking. certain shareholders. "We are investing so much in our security systems that it will start to affect our profitability, we are starting to see it this quarter," Mark Zuckerberg predicted.

Active users down

Another question remains as for the attendance of Facebook. Analysts had indeed predicted 2.25 billion users per month in the world by end of June 2018, 20 million more than the total announced by the social network.

Another bad number is the number of daily active users. If it is carried by the Asia zone and the opening of new markets, other markets are at half-mast, starting with the United States, the main one, where this number stagnates.

In Europe, the report is more alarming, probably because of the entry into force of the General Data Protection Regulation at the end of May (RGPD). According to the Mashable website, Facebook has recorded a decrease of three million active users per day (279 million against 282 million in the first quarter). For its part, Engadget evokes a loss of one million active users per month (376 million people who have connected at least once in the month).

A slight decline, but rare enough when one s' call Facebook to attract attention. A blow to the firm at the F, still marked by the case Cambridge Analytica, and a strong sign sent by its European users on the importance they attach to the confidentiality of the data.

[ad_2]
Source link