Facebook 'dead and buried' to teens who don't want to be friends with parents

Teenagers are ditching their Facebook accounts in droves, according to newly-published research into social networking habits across Europe.

16-18 year olds are 'embarrassed to be associated' with Facebook according to the Global Social Media Impact Study, which claims the influx of older parents and relatives are to blame.

Instead of Facebook, youngsters are gravitating to the likes of Snapchat, WhatsApp, Twitter and Facebook-owned Instagram, where their parents are less likely to be monitoring their activity or asking them what time they're going to be home for tea.

According to Daniel Miller, a professor at University College London and lead anthropologist on the research team, "Facebook is not just on the slide - it is basically dead and buried."

Mum, you're embarrassing me!

Miller reckons a friend request from a parent is the equivalent of mum or dad showing up at a house party and dragging a youth out by the ear.

"What appears to be the most seminal moment in a young person's decision to leave Facebook was surely that dreaded day your mum sends you a friend request," he wrote.

"It is nothing new that young people care about style and status in relation to their peers, and Facebook is simply not cool anymore."

The youngsters are less bothered that rival services are less secure and often less functional than Facebook (we're looking at you Snapchat), according to the research.

• For Facebook, the only way to win back the kids, may be to actually buy Snapchat for too much money.