Growth in social network usage around the world is driven by emerging markets, mostly in the Middle East and Africa and Asia-Pacific. In Latin America, growth will be slightly below the worldwide average, but still represent a healthy 18.5% increase in users in 2012.

And with relatively low penetration among the total population, social networks still have room to grow in the region, although better overall internet infrastructure will be needed before online socializing is as common as it is in North America or Europe. In 2012, social networks are expected to reach just under three in ten Latin Americans, according to eMarketer. Argentina has the highest rate of social network usage among the population as a whole, at just below 38% in 2012 and is expected to stay in the lead throughout the forecast period, followed by Brazil and Mexico.

Social network user penetration in Latin America, by country, 2012:
LATIN AMERICA: 29.4% (to reach 36.7% by 2014)
- Argentina: 37.7% (45.4%)
- Brazil: 31.1% (37.7%)
- Mexico: 26.3% (34.1%)
- Other: 27.9% (35.6%)

The world's biggest social networking site is also big in Latin America, and the greatest overall number of users in 2012 are in Brazil, where 41.5 million internet users will access a Facebook account at least monthly. eMarketer estimates nearly 28 million Facebook users in Mexico this year, and about half as many in Argentina.

Facebook users in Latin America, 2010-2014:
- 2010: 62.0 million
- 2011: 109.1 million
- 2012: 142.8 million
- 2013: 179.2 million
- 2014: 205.3 million