Some interesting data about the effect of banal and spammy apps on Facebook. In a predictable and cyclical process – higher traffic creates motivation for the spammers, whose influx onto the site then lessens growth. An ovum analyst cites research out of the University of Chicago into user activity and application uptake. The full text of the research can be seen here but it’s interesting to look at the trend of the two graphs below detailing application success on Facebook.
Now it’s true that some of this decrease in the numbers of daily active users could be put down to the larger numbers of applications available, I’d contend that more has to do with a drop in users keenness to user Facebook apps per se.
Ben Kepes is an analyst, an entrepreneur, a commentator and a business adviser. His business interests include a diverse range of industries from manufacturing to property to technology. As a technology commentator he has a broad presence both in the traditional media and extensively online. Ben covers the convergance of technology, mobile, ubiquity and agility, all enabled by the Cloud. His areas of interest extend to enterprise software, software integration, financial/accounting software, platforms and infrastructure as well as articulating technology simply for everyday users. 
Thanks for providing the link for that study Ben, very interesting. I believe that Facebook and social networkings in general is just a passing fad, since these services offer zero values to users, however they are golden opportunities to online advertisers.