Meta lost 20 million users last quarter

Meta has experienced a significant drop in user engagement, losing 20 million "Family daily active people" in the last quarter compared to the previous one. This metric encompasses users across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger. Meta attributes this decline to "internet disruptions in Iran" and "restriction on access to WhatsApp in Russia." However, the article notes that by combining user statistics across all platforms, it's difficult to ascertain which specific services are most affected, suggesting a potential strategy to obscure losses on a leading social platform. This user decline occurs as Meta plans to substantially increase its AI investments, projecting capital expenditures for 2026 to be between $125-145 billion, a $10 billion increase due to higher component pricing and data center capacity needs. Despite the user dip, Meta's revenue saw its fastest growth since 2021, rising 33 percent to $56.3 billion. However, the Reality Labs division, focused on VR and wearables, reported a $4.03 billion operating loss and has seen layoffs. Meta's stock price fell over 7 percent following the earnings release.

(Source：The Verge)