Meta, Parent of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, Loses 20 Million Users: Why?

Social media giant Meta has lost tens of millions of users from its various platforms under the company’s umbrella. This was revealed by Meta in its financial report for the first quarter of 2026 (January-March).

During the first quarter of 2026, Meta recorded a loss of 20 million daily active users (DAU) across all its social media platforms, encompassing Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp.

Meta did not detail the extent of the decline for each of its social media platforms. Overall, the company founded by Mark Zuckerberg has 3.5 billion daily visitors (Daily Active People/DAP).

This figure represents a 0.5% drop compared to the fourth quarter of 2025, which stood at 3.58 billion. Meta defines DAP as registered users who log in to one of its applications via mobile or web devices on a given day.

Following the announcement, shares in Facebook’s parent company plunged 9% at the close of trading on Friday (1 May 2026) US time.

Nevertheless, Meta’s revenue was reported to have risen 33% year-on-year to $56.3 billion (approximately Rp 977 trillion), with net profit at $22.8 billion (approximately Rp 395 trillion).

This decline comes as Meta increases its investments in artificial intelligence (AI).

According to Meta, the company’s AI spending is estimated to reach around $125 billion to $145 billion (approximately Rp 2,171 trillion to Rp 2,518 trillion) this year, $10 billion more than initially planned.

Meta’s CFO, Susan Li, acknowledged that AI computing needs continue to exceed expectations, even as the company has aggressively increased capacity.

This increased investment is driven by rising costs of computing chips and the need to build more data centres to support the company’s AI ambitions, as compiled by KompasTekno from the Economic Times.

In mid-February 2026, the Russian government restricted access to WhatsApp and attempted to fully block Meta’s messaging app.

This measure was taken alongside efforts to encourage citizens to switch to a domestically developed app called Max.

The app is designed as a super-app, similar to WeChat in China.

Since 2025, the Max app has been mandatory on all new devices sold in Russia. Its use is also compulsory for government employees, teachers, and students.