'Facebook Fatigue' Examined by Researchers

Do you feel stressed out and exhausted after using Facebook? You're not alone. According to a new report from the Pew Internet and American Life Project, most Facebook users have taken an extended break from Facebook after becoming tired of the site.

Pew worked with Princeton Survey Research Associates International to carry out telephone interviews with just over 1,000 U.S. residents.

Two-Thirds of US Facebook Users Take Extended Breaks

The interviews revealed that six in every ten Facebook users admit to having taken breaks from Facebook that lasted several weeks. (Source: zdnet.com)

Why did they do it?

According to Pew's report, about one in five respondents said they took a sabbatical because they were too busy and didn't have time for Facebook.

About one in ten said they simply lost interest in the social networking site, while another one in ten said they came to feel that using the site was a waste of their time.

Is Facebook Becoming Irrelevant?

Pew also recorded and released some of the comments made by its respondents. One person said they took a break from Facebook because "I was tired of stupid comments," while another person said there was simply "too much drama" involved in using the site.

Pew's research also showed that many people find Facebook to be increasingly irrelevant. People also reported feeling less enjoyment while using the site now than in the past. (Source: cnet.com)

In fact, 42 per cent of Facebook users aged 18-29 say they use Facebook less now than they did last year. About 34 per cent of 30-49 year olds also said they had decreased their Facebook usage.

And that may not change: Pew's survey found that almost two in five respondents aged 18 to 29 planned to continue decreasing their Facebook usage in 2013.

Some industry experts are using the report's findings to suggest that many social networking users suffer from something called "Facebook Fatigue." The next question is this: can Facebook find a way to keep users coming back now, or in the future?