New court filing shows that Meta execs agreed that Facebook was losing to TikTok

Core Insights - Meta executives, including CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram head Adam Mosseri, acknowledged that TikTok is outperforming Meta in the social media landscape, indicating a significant shift in market dynamics [1][2][6] Group 1: Internal Discussions on Competition - Zuckerberg described Facebook as a "challenger" that has "lost the mindshare and momentum," highlighting TikTok's ability to create a "feeling of shared context" among users [2][8] - Mosseri noted that Facebook is no longer the default discovery engine, suggesting that YouTube currently holds that position, but he anticipated TikTok would eventually surpass it [3][4] - The executives recognized TikTok's dominance in video content, with Mosseri stating that TikTok is "100% video and beating us badly," and that it is growing the social mobile market at the expense of traditional media [4][10] Group 2: User Engagement and Market Trends - TikTok surpassed YouTube in average watch time in the U.S. in 2021, and a study indicated that children aged 4 to 18 spent 60% more time on TikTok than on YouTube in 2023 [4] - Netflix has introduced a TikTok-like feature in its app, indicating a broader trend of traditional media companies adapting to the success of short-form video platforms [5] - Zuckerberg emphasized that while Facebook may have the largest user base, it is no longer the leader in time spent on the app, further illustrating the competitive pressure from TikTok [8] Group 3: Strategic Responses and Challenges - Meta executives expressed concerns about the fragmentation of the social media landscape, with many platforms competing for user attention, making it difficult for Facebook to maintain its growth [10][12] - John Hegeman, then VP of Ads, acknowledged TikTok's lead in short-form video content and creation tools, but believed Meta could close the gap by encouraging creators to use Reels [11] - The internal documents reveal a perception within Meta that Facebook is the underdog in the social media market, with TikTok's success posing a significant risk to Meta's business growth [12]