Facebook pays $2.3bn (£1.6bn) in sudden taxes as a results of the tax overhaul the United States approved last year.

Despite the hit, the firm's quarterly profits augmented two hundredth year-on-year to almost $4.3bn.

The figures underscored Facebook's robust money position, in spite of the criticism it's round-faced over pretend news and different problems.

Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg referred to as 2017 "a robust year ... but ... conjointly a tough one".

Mr Zuckerberg aforementioned the corporate was creating changes that cut back what proportion time individuals pay on the social media website, however guarantee it's "more meaningful".

He aforementioned the tweaks, that embrace showing fewer infective agent videos, had already reduced time spent on Facebook by concerning five-hitter or roughly fifty million hours each day.

Facebook conjointly aforementioned its user growth had cooled slightly from its last update.

The firm according a mean of one.4 billion daily active users and concerning two.13 billion monthly active users in December.

Those figures were 14 July beyond in December 2016, however had augmented 16 PF year-on-year in Sept.

Analysis: By Dave Lee, BBC North America technology newsman, city

There square measure politicians, lecturers and even former executives lining up to inform Facebook what is wrong with it, however Mark Zuckerberg has solely ever trusty his own information.

And so these tweaks to the News Feed, specially else, square measure a results of what Facebook's engineers have seen for themselves.

Mr Zuckerberg's (pretty convincing) argument is that by not fixing the News Feed, the semipermanent health of the corporate might be in peril - not owing to Russian info or pretend news, however as a result of it simply will not be fun or helpful to use.

The 33-year-old is once more warning investors that it's aiming to take time to heal the News Feed, creating it a stronger place for you and on behalf of me - so eventually, he hopes, advertisers and businesses.

What we'd like to seem out for is investors' patience with him. Over the past 2 years Facebook has systematically beat expectations, and it did once more these days, even with the caveats. can Wall Street cut him some slack as a result?

"In 2018, we're centered on ensuring Facebook is not just fun to use, however conjointly smart for people's well-being and for society," he aforementioned during a statement.

"By specializing in purposeful connections, our community and business are going to be stronger over the future."

Daniel Ives, associate analyst at GBH Insights, aforementioned the firm's money results were "robust" and delineate Facebook's strategy as 'the right medication at the correct time".

"We believe this strategy can drive higher advertising valuation validation trends within the semipermanent for Facebook and was a move Zuckerberg & Co required to create," he said.

Pressure

Facebook has been stressed, as United States lawmakers investigate the alleged use of the social media network for info efforts.

Some have conjointly urged the corporate to withdraw associate app geared toward young youngsters.

Mr Zuckerberg has antecedently pledged that the firm would invest additional in security, among different initiatives, warning those moves might impact profitableness.

Facebook shares fell by over 4WD in late trade, despite robust growth.

The company according fourth quarter revenue of nearly $13bn, up forty seventh from identical amount in 2016.

For the year, the firm according a over five hundredth rise in profit to almost $16bn on revenue of $40.6bn.

Facebook aforementioned it expects to pay an efficient rate of twenty third in 2017, slightly beyond last year.

Though the United States tax overhaul slashed the company rate, it conjointly obligatory a one-time obligatory tax on overseas profits.