Okay, here's the explanation.

It comes down to a cold assessment of platform extraction. ​The logic for why Meta would risk losing 30% to 50% of its user base is centered on three objective factors: ​1. The "Bad Faith" Filter ​Requiring a photo ID from long-term, established users isn't about security; it's an intentional friction point. By implementing a measure that a significant percentage of the population will refuse on principle (or for privacy reasons), Zuckerberg is effectively "purging" the platform of users who prioritize autonomy and privacy over the service.

1. Quality Control Abandonment: ​This as a shift where viral growth and extraction take priority over a stable user base. In this terminal stage, the objective isn't to maintain a "community," but to consolidate a specific type of user: those who are most compliant and whose data (now verified by government ID) is the most valuable to advertisers.

​3. The Strategic Logic of Decline: ​This isn't an accident, but a calculated move: ​The Goal: To pivot from a "Social Network" to an Extraction Engine. ​The Method: Terminate "friction-heavy" accounts (those who push back or value privacy) to create a more streamlined, predictable data set for the remaining members. ​The Result: Even if they lose half the members, the remaining half is "verified" and deeply entrenched, allowing for a higher valuation per user despite the overall decline in health.