Females and males aged 25 to 34 constituted the largest share of active Facebook users in Australia as of October 2025. Both females and males in that age bracket made up approximately **** percent. Facebook: the world’s favorite online hangout Facebook continues to rank as the world’s most popular social network. With just over ***** billion users in a worldwide population of around eight billion people, Facebook has left its mark on the modern world - and its wallet. In 2021, Facebook’s owner, Meta, formerly Facebook Inc., generated over *** billion dollars in revenue, a figure that has continued to soar since Facebook’s inception in 2004. Advertising and Meta’s family of apps, which, among others, includes Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, have made up the majority of the company’s revenue in recent years. The internet as a source of hope  ‘Screen time,’ or time spent using a device such as a phone, computer, television, or video game console, often gets a bad name. The average Australian spends close to ***** hours daily surfing the internet on a mobile phone, which puts Australians above the world average for minutes spent on the internet on a mobile daily. With young people making up a significant portion of the internet-using population, it is reassuring to know that close to ** percent of young Australians also use the internet to seek help or information on issues important to them, like the environment, equity and discrimination, and mental health.

The number of Facebook users in Australia was forecast to continuously decrease between 2024 and 2028 by in total ********* users (***** percent). After the seventh consecutive decreasing year, the Facebook user base is estimated to reach ********** users and therefore a new minimum in 2028. User figures, shown here regarding the platform facebook, have been estimated by taking into account company filings or press material, secondary research, app downloads and traffic data. They refer to the average monthly active users over the period and count multiple accounts by persons only once.The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in up to *** countries and regions worldwide. All indicators are sourced from international and national statistical offices, trade associations and the trade press and they are processed to generate comparable data sets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).

There were 22 500 000 Facebook users in Australia in March 2024, which accounted for 81.6% of its entire population. The majority of them were women - 52.9%. People aged 25 to 34 were the largest user group (5 700 000). The highest difference between men and women occurs within people aged 65 and above, where women lead by 1 100 000.

The number of Facebook users in Australia had been increasing steadily throughout the years, with a forecast of approximately 11.5 million Australians having an account on the social media platform by the year 2022. This figure would represent more than 40 percent of the Australian population, making it the most used social media platform in the nation. Facebook - the most used social media platform Australia had one the highest active social media penetration rates globally, with most of the population having account on a social media platform. It is partially due to the country’s high internet penetration rate and heavy influence from the United States with regard to internet and social media trends. Furthermore, social networks were the most used platform of social media with instant messenger platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook messenger coming in second place. Demographics of Facebook users Younger generations in Australia were much more active Facebook users with those between 18 to 29 years using the platform four times more per week than those over the age of 65. This was not to say that the elderly did not use Facebook but the data showed that those that do use social media platforms were most likely to have a Facebook account in comparison to other generations.

The use of Facebook in Australia is dominated by ** to 34-year-old millennials, with around *** million Australians in this age bracket using the social networking site in 2019. Despite this, younger millennials are tending to use Facebook less than older generations, with a usage rate of around ** percent in Australia. How are Aussies using social media? In 2018, most Australians used social networking sites to catch up with family and friends. Millennials also used these apps to share photographs or videos. This activity has amplified the popularity of Instagram, an app that makes it easy to capture, edit and share photos and videos. Facebook and YouTube were used by a large proportion of consumers for finding, reading, watching, sharing or discussing news, largely due to convenience and the ease of access to current events.

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Although Facebook is still the most widely used social networking service in the country, YouTube and Instagram are also popular platforms, especially among younger Australians. Leading millennials (those aged between 29 and 34 years) had the largest usage share for YouTube, while trailing millennials (those aged between ** to **) were particularly active users of Instagram in 2018. These platforms all look to expand their audiences in the future, engaging through targeted video advertising, ephemeral content storytelling and through social media influencers.

The number of snapchat users in Australia was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2028 by in total 0.3 million users (+4.02 percent). After the ninth consecutive increasing year, the snapchat user base is estimated to reach 7.74 million users and therefore a new peak in 2028. Notably, the number of snapchat users of was continuously increasing over the past years.The user numbers, depicted here regarding the platform Snapchat, have been estimated by taking into account company filings or press material, secondary research, app downloads and traffic data. They refer to the average monthly active users over the period and count multiple accounts by persons only once.The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in up to 150 countries and regions worldwide. All indicators are sourced from international and national statistical offices, trade associations and the trade press and they are processed to generate comparable data sets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).

Young people in Australia are more likely to have more friends on Facebook, with the average user between the ages of 18 to 29 years having almost *** friends on the platform. This is in contrast with senior citizens (65 years and above) who seem to be more selective, having an average of just under ** friends on Facebook. The most used social media platform Australia has very high social media penetration rate, with a majority of the population having an account on a social media platform. It is partially due to the country’s high internet penetration rate and cultural influences from the western world on social media trends. Furthermore, the number of Facebook users in Australia has been increasing steadily, with a forecast of approximately **** million Australians having an account on the social media platform by the year 2022. This figure would represent more than ** percent of the nation’s population, making it the most used social media platform in Australia.  Demographics of Facebook users The use of Facebook in Australia is dominated by 25- to 34-year-old millennials, with around *** million Australians in this age bracket using the social networking site in 2018. Younger generations in Australia are also more active Facebook users with those between 18 to 29 years using the platform four times more per week than those over the age of 65 years. Elderly users of social media however were most likely to have a Facebook account in comparison to other generations.   

As of October 2025, men aged 25 to 34 represented Facebook’s largest user group, making up **** percent of the platform’s global audience. Across all age groups except those aged 65 and older, male users outnumbered female users. Facebook connects the world Founded in 2004 and going public in 2012, Facebook is one of the biggest internet companies in the world with influence that goes beyond social media. It is widely considered as one of the Big Four tech companies, along with Google, Apple, and Amazon (all together known under the acronym GAFA). Facebook is the most popular social network worldwide and the company also owns three other billion-user properties: mobile messaging apps WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, as well as photo-sharing app Instagram. Facebook users The vast majority of Facebook users connect to the social network via mobile devices. This is unsurprising, as Facebook has many users in mobile-first online markets. Currently, India ranks first in terms of Facebook audience size with *** million users. The United States, Brazil, and Indonesia also all have more than 100 million Facebook users each.

74 percent of Australian respondents answer our survey on "Most used websites and online services by type" with "Social media". The survey was conducted in 2025, among 2,754 consumers.

In Australia in 2025, Facebook had the highest share of users, with **** percent of Australians saying they used the platform. Its counterpart messaging app, Facebook Messenger, was used by just under **** percent of Australians.

Research from AppMagic suggested that Meta continued to dominate the Australian social media landscape by owning two most downloaded social media apps as of May 2025. The number of Facebook downloads amounted to around ***** thousand, followed by Threads, Telegram, and Snapchat. Facebook: The industry giant With over ***** billion monthly active users worldwide as of January 2024, Facebook leads the industry as the most popular social network platform. Besides its core product under the same name, Facebook also owns several major social network services, namely WhatsApp, Instagram, and its standalone instant messaging service, Messenger, each with more than *** billion active users. The number of Australia-based Facebook users is estimated to decrease to around ** million over the next few years, but still accounting for approximately ********** of Australia’s total population. More than just social networking While its business focus lies on private messaging, Facebook seems to have more to offer. Facebook, including Messenger, and Instagram have remained the most widely used platforms for social commerce among Australian online shoppers. Facebook has also been by far the most popular social media channel among small and medium-sized businesses in Australia. In times of the COVID-19 pandemic, apart from television and online newspaper, many Australians have turned to Facebook as their daily source of news.

There has been a continued upward trend in the population share of active social media users in Australia. As of February 2022, approximately **** percent of the Australian population were active users compared to just ** percent in 2015. Preferred social media brands and most popular activities Facebook was the most popular social media brand in Australia in 2019, with ** percent saying they used the platform the most often. Elsewhere, ** percent said they used Instagram and six percent used Snapchat. Social media is used by Australians for a variety of activities. The most popular use is as a means of communication, with over **** of users regularly sending private messages and ** percent commenting on posts. Active users also post pictures and videos, with ** percent of users saying they have posted visual content. When do Australians use social media? In 2018, most social media use took place during Australians free time; ** percent said they used social media platforms in the evening, ** percent were first thing in the morning users, and ** percent said they logged on during breaks. Interestingly, when it comes to users being banned from social media, just over **** said in 2019 that they somewhat agree that bans are ineffective.

In January 2025, around ****** thousand downloads of the Facebook app were reported in Australia according to AppMagic. The highest number of downloads was recorded in March 2022 in the measured period.

In 2024, the most popular social media and messaging platforms among adults in Australia were Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram. Facebook was used by ** percent of adults, WhatsApp by ** percent, and Instagram by ** percent. New popular formats of social networks In addition to traditional social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, alternative formats are gaining popularity in Australia. Snapchat, known for its ephemeral content, is steadily growing nowadays. Between 2024 and 2028, the platform's user base is expected to increase by *** million, reaching a peak of **** million users. Similarly, LinkedIn, a prominent platform for professional networking, is projected to expand by *** million users during the same period, reaching a peak of ***** million users by 2028. This consistent growth across both platforms highlights the diverse ways Australians are engaging with social media, whether for personal expression or professional connections. Social media growth increasing In Australia, social media remains a dominant force in digital engagement, with ** percent of respondents in a 2024 survey identifying social media websites and apps as their most used online services. This aligns with the global increase in social media engagement. As of February 2022, about **** percent of Australians were active on social media, a significant increase from ** percent in 2015. This rapid growth shows the expanding role of social media in daily life, indicating its increasing significance and integration into various forms of communication and entertainment.

Spending on online advertising has surged, and it has become the preferred advertising medium over traditional channels like TV and print. This has been driven by a significant shift in consumer behaviour towards the internet, social media and online shopping, which consumers became more accustomed to during the pandemic. Advertising agencies are navigating increasing privacy concerns and stricter regulations, highlighted by the $60.0 million fine against Google for misleading data practices. Profitability has expanded as companies adopt artificial intelligence, with more than one-quarter of Google's code now being AI-generated and major companies like Facebook reducing labour costs through significant workforce cuts. Industrywide revenue has been climbing at an annualised 8.2% over the past five years and is expected to total $17.1 billion in 2024-25, when revenue will climb by 5.7%. The Online Advertising industry exhibits high market share concentration because of the substantial barriers to entry and the dominance of major players Google and Facebook. Google leads the search engine market, controlling around 95%, largely because it is the default search engine on popular browsers like Chrome and Safari. Access to large user volumes is crucial for online advertisers, as it encourages companies to increase spending on online ads. Extensive user data is also essential for training algorithms to deliver targeted advertising, enabling firms like Google, REA Group and Facebook Australia to charge higher premiums for their services. This data advantage, international firms' larger budgets and fewer regulatory constraints make it challenging for domestic companies to compete. The Online Advertising industry is on track to continue expanding, although at slower rates. Privacy concerns and stricter data usage regulations are set to limit advertisers' access to consumer data, especially with major web browsers' phasing out of third-party cookies. This will compel advertisers to innovate and emphasise first-party data by creating engaging, interactive experiences to encourage users to share information willingly. Adopting artificial intelligence technologies will enable advertisers to optimise ad placements, better understand user behaviour and reduce labour dependence. Industry revenue is forecast to expand at an annualised 6.8% through 2029-30 to total $23.8 billion.

Number of participants in each of the categories is described, with the exception of age which is presented as mean (SD).Summarises the demographic characteristics of participants who completed and dropped out of the study.

A survey conducted among Australian social shoppers revealed that Facebook was the most used social commerce platform in 2024, with around **** of respondents. YouTube took second place at approximately ** percent. While Facebook was more popular among Boomers, Snapchat was trendy among Gen Z.

Abstract

In partnership with the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, Facebook launched a Climate Change Opinion Survey that explores public climate change knowledge, attitudes, policy preferences, and behaviors across 31 countries and territories. Aggregated data is available publicly on Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX). De-identified microdata is also available to nonprofits and universities under a data license agreement through Facebook’s Data for Good (DFG) program. For more information please email dataforgood@fb.com.

Analysis unit

Public Aggregate Data on HDX: country or regional levels De-identified Microdata through Facebook Data for Good program: Individual level

Universe

The survey was fielded to active Facebook users ages 18+

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

Sampled Facebook users saw an invitation to answer a short survey at the top of their Facebook Newsfeed and had the option to click the invitation to complete the survey on the Facebook platform. The sample was drawn from the population of Facebook monthly active users, defined as registered and logged-in Facebook users who had visited Facebook through the website or a mobile device in the last 30 days.

Within each country or territory surveyed, Facebook drew a sample in proportion to publicly available age and gender benchmarks. The sample population in the United States was drawn in proportion to the U.S. Census Bureau Current Population Survey 2018 March Supplement. All other countries and territories were sampled in proportion to data from the United Nations Population Division 2019 World Population Projections. Data were weighted separately for each country and territory using a multi-stage, pre- and post-survey weighting process based on census and nationally representative survey benchmarks, Facebook demographics, and Facebook engagement metrics, balanced to the total number of survey completions.

Mode of data collection

Internet [int]

Research instrument

The survey includes questions about people’s climate change knowledge, attitudes, policy preferences, and behaviors. The codebook with survey questions is available here.

Response rate

Response rates to online surveys vary widely depending on a number of factors including survey length, region, strength of the relationship with invitees, incentive mechanisms, invite copy, interest of respondents in the topic and survey design. Facebook provides survey weights to help make the sample more representative of each country or territory’s population.

Sampling error estimates

Any survey data is prone to several forms of error and biases that need to be considered to understand how closely the results reflect the intended population. In particular, the following components of the total survey error are noteworthy:

Sampling error is a natural characteristic of every survey based on samples and reflects the uncertainty in any survey result that is attributable to the fact that not the whole population is surveyed.

Other factors beyond sampling error that contribute to such potential differences are frame or coverage error and nonresponse error.

Social media presence plays an important role in Australia, with more than ** percent of Australians between the ages of 12 to 55 years old claiming to have an account on a social networking site. This high figure applies to senior citizens as well: more than **** the people above the age of 55 years have an account on a social networking platform. Most used social media platform Australia has one the highest active social media penetration rates internationally, with most of the population holding an account on a social network platform. This is partially due to the country’s high internet penetration rate and heavy influence from the western world with regard to internet and social media trends. For a country of slightly more than 24 million people, it is estimated that more than ** million citizens have an account on a social media. Furthermore, Facebook dominates the market with more than double the number of users compared to the second-placed platform Instagram. Reasons for using social networking sites There are various reasons that Australians use social networking sites with the main reason being to catch up/keep in touch with family and friends. While this applies to all age groups, the younger generation have more reasons to stay engaged on social media while the elderly mainly uses social media solely for friends and family.

In Australia in 2020, Nick Cheadle Fitness was the most popular brand Facebook page, with just over *** million fans. This was followed by Flight Centre Australia, which had over *** million fans.