# Demographic Differentials in Facebook Usage Around the World

## TL;DR

This study analyzes global Facebook usage patterns, revealing demographic disparities in age, gender, and network size, with variations across regions and implications for understanding digital technology adoption.

## Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis of demographic differences in Facebook usage worldwide, highlighting regional and gender-specific patterns and behaviors.

## Key findings

- Gender differences in network size favor women.
- Older adults in North America and Europe show similar Facebook usage to younger groups.
- Gender disparities diminish in Asian countries at older ages.

## Abstract

We use data from the Facebook Advertisement Platform to study patterns of demographic disparities in usage of Facebook across countries. We address three main questions: (1) How does Facebook usage differ by age and by gender around the world? (2) How does the size of friendship networks vary by age and by gender? (3) What are the demographic characteristics of specific subgroups of Facebook users? We find that in countries in North America and northern Europe, patterns of Facebook usage differ little between older people and younger adults. In Asian countries, which have high levels of gender inequality, differences in Facebook adoption by gender disappear at older ages, possibly as a result of selectivity. We also observe that across countries, women tend to have larger networks of close friends than men, and that female users who are living away from their hometown are more likely to engage in Facebook use than their male counterparts, regardless of their region and age group. Our findings contextualize recent research on gender gaps in online usage, and offer new insights into some of the nuances of demographic differentials in the adoption and the use of digital technologies.