Facebook Hits Record 3 Billion Monthly Users Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Facebook witnessed the highest number of users in areas that have been hit hardest by the coronavirus.

By Abhik Sengupta | Updated: 30 April 2020 13:06 IST

Facebook Hits Record 3 Billion Monthly Users Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Facebook recently rolled out Facebook Messenger Rooms

Highlights

Over 2.6 billion people are using Facebook alone each month
2.3 billion people using at least one of its services every day
Messaging across Facebook's platforms has increased more than 50 percent

Facebook is witnessing a massive surge in its userbase owing to the coronavirus pandemic lockdowns placed in several countries. The company today announced that for the first time, more than 3 billion people were actively using the company's platforms including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger, on a monthly basis. It was also announced that Facebook witnessed the highest number of messaging, voice, and video calling in areas that have been hit hardest by the novel coronavirus. Interestingly, the latest numbers released by the company constitute roughly two-thirds of the world's total Internet population that is almost 4.5 billion.

In a post published today by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, it was announced that in the first quarter of 2020, more than 2.6 billion people were using Facebook alone.

"For the first time ever, there are now more than 3 billion people actively using Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp or Messenger each month. That includes 2.6 billion people using Facebook alone, and more than 2.3 billion people using at least one of our services every day," Zuckerberg wrote in the post.

Facebook Takes Aim at Zoom With Messenger Rooms Launch

Zuckerberg also announced that messaging volume across Facebook-owned platforms has increased more than 50 percent while voice and video calling have doubled across Messenger and WhatsApp.

It was further highlighted that Facebook is being used more in countries that have been hit hardest by the novel coronavirus.

"In Italy, for example, we've seen up to 70 percent more time spent across our apps, Instagram and Facebook Live views doubled in one week, and we've also seen time in group video calling increase by over 1,000 percent in March," Facebook CEO said during an earnings call.

WhatsApp Gets Messenger Rooms Integration in Latest Beta: Report

The post by Zuckerberg also noted that the company is working to improve its services amid the coronavirus lockdown. Facebook recently launched the Messenger Rooms feature and also increased the participant limit to eight people for WhatsApp group calls. The company also took measures to limit the spread of misinformation about the novel coronavirus. Facebook recently claimed that WhatsApp messenger's highly forwarded messages have gone down by 70 percent.

Facebook Reports 'Signs of Stability' in Ad Spending After Coronavirus Drop

Meanwhile, in terms of revenue, Facebook has reported its slowest quarterly growth as a public company due to the coronavirus pandemic. The company said that the advertising revenue was roughly flat in the first three weeks of April, compared with the same period last year.

Comments

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.