Facebook managed to be the top social media website among teens and young adults for years. Even now, as more and more people from this demographic are turning to things like Snapchat and Instagram, Facebook still carries on fairly successfully. Even though the site is far from obsolete, the question still remains: Why don’t many teenagers use Facebook anymore?

Part of the reason may simply be the fact that it became so popular. With everyone talking about this website, parents and creepy uncles heard about it and quickly created accounts. From there, the site’s appeal for teens dropped drastically.

For many teenagers and young adults, part of the allure of Facebook and the internet in general was the ability to be somewhat independent. Everyone could talk to their friends online at anytime they wanted. They could even play games with them and challenge each others’ high scores. And the best part, of course, was the fact that there were no parents to bother you.

Now, with more and more parents creating accounts, teenagers have to worry about prying eyes, and they monitor their pictures and language accordingly. Sure, it was a great website to play games on and talk to your friends, and even Facebook-stalk that kid you’ve had a crush on since seventh grade, but now, no can swear, insult, or post questionable pictures without getting grounded. Even the older generations seem to love the idea of posting embarrassing pictures of their favorite grandchildren.

Now, many teenagers have now turned to slightly more private websites and applications, such as Instagram, Twitter, even Tumblr. These sites give people the ability to hide behind an anonymous username if they wish to. This, combined with the fact that even seven-year-olds have some kind of smartphone, creates that same sense of freedom and independence that initially attracted everyone to Facebook. Connecting with friends is still a major part of these site and apps, with Snapchat taking the lead in the social aspect of these programs.

While many teenagers have turned away from Facebook, it is still used as a productive website for gathering large groups. Even though the hipsters and Beliebers have left, the older community thrives, and businesses even use it to tell others about fundraising and other events.