Social Networking Stats: Facebook To Acquire WhatsApp, #RLTM Scoreboard

The #RLTM Scoreboard: Social Networking Stats for the Week

Facebook: 1.23 billion monthly active users via Facebook
YouTube over 1 billion monthly unique users via YouTube
Twitter: 241 million monthly active users via re/code
Qzone: 599 million monthly active users via TechCrunch
Sina Weibo: over 500 million users via The Next Web
Renren: over 170 million users via iResearch iUser Tracker
VK: over 230 million registered accounts via VK
LinkedIn: 259 million active users via LinkedIn
Google Plus: 343 million monthly active users via GlobalWebIndex
Tumblr: 172 million blogs via Tumblr
Instagram: 150 million users via Instagram
Vine: 40 million registered users via Vine
Tagged: 20 million unique monthly users via Tagged
Foursquare: 40 million users via CNET
Pinterest: 70 million users via The Next Web
Reddit: 112 million monthly unique visitors via Reddit
WhatsApp: 450 million users via Facebook
SnapChat:  ???? via TechCrunch

Please email marissa@modernmedia.co if you have additional updates, or a social network that you feel should be on the list.  

Facebook Acquiring WhatsApp for $19 Billion 

Facebook Acquiring mobile messaging service WhatsAppMobile messaging service WhatsApp is being acquired by Facebook to the tune of $19 billion in cash and stock — Facebook’s biggest acquisition to date. According to The Wall Street Journal, it’s “the largest-ever purchase of a company backed by venture capital.”

What makes WhatsApp a must-have for Facebook?

WhatsApp allows users to share messages (text, picture and video) across mobile devices with different operating systems, and is especially popular in Europe and other areas outside the U.S.  The app is free for the first year, 99 cents for each year after, and is ad-free.  I started using it while traveling abroad (so that I could message folks at home for free) and never stopped, even after arriving back home.

In a blog post about the acquisition, Facebook also noted that WhatsApp’s messaging volume approaches the SMS volume of the entire global telecom industry. Wow.

In addition to taking out its only serious competition in the messaging arena, Facebook will boost its international popularity with this acquisition and appeal to teen users.

WhatsApp will continue to operate independently, and WhatsApp co-founder and CEO Jan Koum will join Facebook’s Board of Directors.

What do you think?  It can boast some impressive stats, but is WhatsApp worth the hefty price tag?