According to a recent survey commissioned by Halifax nearly 60% of over 55s in the UK are now on Facebook, which is great – the older generation are finally embracing technology and the Facebook campaign to entice the ‘silver surfer’ is paying off. However, I wonder if they ever considered the effect this would have on younger Facebook users?

As an app originally designed for students, the presence of parents and grandparents on the site is putting them off. The same survey claims that one in three 16-to-34 year olds have now deleted their accounts because it’s so ‘uncool’. I have to admit, I’ve been tempted too, when my Dad shares my baby pictures.

So, does this mark a change in the way younger generations are using social networking? As Facebook sees a decline, other apps such as Snapchat, Twitter, and Instagram are set to benefit by being seen as the new ‘must-have’ social networking platforms. Mainly because they are still very much a confusion for most parents. ‘Insta-who’?

As Facebook numbers start to dwindle, it looks like we are about to see a new breed of social start-ups emerge. Clearly a greater interest in niche social networking is starting to appear – people can now tailor social sites to their needs, personalities and interests. Look at Borrowmydoggy for example – if you’re a dog lover but for whatever reason you can’t keep a pet at home you can connect with dog owners in your area who are looking for someone to take Fido out for walk. Win win!

Although we won’t wave Facebook goodbye just yet, it’s definitely an exciting time for social media platforms. Now if someone could just create a wine lovers app that would be great…oh wait they have, and it’s called Vivino!