Facebook beats Microsoft, become UK's 2nd popular site

London, Jun 27: Here is a reason for Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to laugh aloud. The world's largest social networking site, Facebook has become the UK's second-most popular website.

According to a latest market research report published by the online measurement body UKOM/Nielsen, Facebook overtook the Microsoft websites in the month of May 2011 to become the second most visited website behind Google.

The report revealed that Facebook bagged a record 26.8 million visitors in Britain in May, 2011 with a 7 percent increase from May 2010. Facebook defeated Microsoft websites including MSN, WindowsLive, Bing etc, which had 26.2 million visitors in May.

Mean while, Google sites continued its domination with a whopping 33.9 million users in the same period.

The micro blogging website Twitter also tripled in users with more than 6.1 million, courtesy to celebrity scandals including 'Giggsgate'.

UKOM/Nielsen officials said the number of people above the age of 50 started using social networking sites and it is the primary reason behind Facebook's growth.

"The growth in audiences to these social networks is now primarily being driven by the 50-plus age group. Just a few years ago, this group may have found itself out of place on these sites," UKOM general manager James Smythe said.

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