As if we need more evidence:
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Is that list (of Facebook domains) too long to post? I’d like to check it against my pihole.
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It is a dilemma for a lot of people and every time I learn or am made aware of some aspect I hadn’t considered, like your comment did for me, my heart sinks deeper.
See the logic of what you say is that there is a kind of unintentional sorting between those who can get off and set up elsewhere and others. Guess which classes of people can relocate the easiest?Those with time, money and expertise or access to it. This is already happening it seems to me, contributing to a kind of ‘oyster shack’, left behind feeling on parts of FB already. I really think that one can find some alternative? Easier said than done in some cases I know and maybe instead of just voting with our feet the rest of us could apply ourselves to helping you find one?
I quit Facebook over 7 years ago, mostly because at the time it was a technical mess. The longer I go without it the more I read that stops me ever going back.
I came up with an analogy for “norms” who may not understand why I abstain from Facebook…
Some people don’t eat meat either because it improves their health, or because it’s better for the planet. I feel the same way about Facebook.
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I find it useful for their groups, less to stay in touch with people. Relevant groups have interesting topics or you can ask questions.
I’m using facebook only for keeping up with news from local groups (like city neighborhood) or to know where is the next cup tasting from my favorite coffee roaster.
As I’m working as web developer twitter should be go to place but I have a few bookmarks with interesting people there who don’t have blogs.
I check those facebook & twitter bookmarks once per week. It allows me to bypass news feeds and go directly to interesting me topics.
Deleted it several years ago, and never looked back, then against my will, I had to go back last year when my daughter missed out on a couple of her classmates birthdays. The invitations was posted on Facebook only in a closed group.
I have a recurring action in Omnifocus linking directly to the closed group now, and check it twice a week, inn and out, never look at the rest of Facebook.
I am all for paperless, but now I really miss the home-made paper invitations stuffed in my daughter’s backpack.
In spite, we make some seriously colourful glitter-saturated invitations and drop them in classmates backpacks.
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It always keep pulling me back for some reason. I need to find a hobby or something to make sure I stop going back. I just deleted the app from the phone. I really want to remove it. I use Instagram only for desk pictures and I follow real few people. Twitter I use to follow the people from the podcast that I like (mostly all from relay).
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The trick I use: I have gone back heavily into RSS when I need a “shot” of information. Only now I am in control of the sources, and there’s no need to interact.
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What you could do is load say Firefox with all the security extensions and just use it for your twice weekly login. You dont want to login using safari.
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A friend who is a journalist with a modest-sized following publicly quit Facebook a year or two ago. I asked him recently how it was going. He said it was a pain in the neck, like trying to live without a phone.
I do not recommend anyone who uses Facebook today quit and delete their account, for that reason. But you can and should find alternatives and minimize involvement.
In other words, do as I say, not as I do.
And I also strongly recommend anybody who’s NOT on Facebook today should stay the heck away from it. My brother never started a Facebook account. Years ago, I nagged him to get on. Now I congratulate him for his good judgment.
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He said it was a pain in the neck, like trying to live without a phone.
I wonder at this. It’s been a week since I declared my intent - I’ve warned my network on Facebook I was leaving, my account still exists until Sunday - and already I have to remember to go check it before I deactivate it. It’s not handicapping me online in the least so far.
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It’s a question of checking it rarely vs. not having it around to check at all. Occasionally, you may find it’s problematic not to be able to check a group or page, for example.
I’m not trying to tell you what to do. If you feel you’re better off deleting Facebook, then delete Facebook.
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I’m reminded here of comments the political podcaster Ezra Klein makes. He’s a vegan for ethical reasons, but he acknowledges that’s a hard choice for many people to make. He advises people to just eat less meat, and try to make better choices about the meat they do eat. Eat beef rather than chicken because you have to kill an awful lot of chickens to get the same amount of meat as one cow.
For those of us deeply embedded in the Zuckerverse, it may be difficult to quit. But we can use Facebook less, and more wisely.
And I love 
being around people who are smarter than I am! As you say, they are so helpful here and certainly knowledgeable. Much like a breath of fresh air and often a foil to FB, although sometimes the people kick in– it really runs the gamut.
I concur, Mitch.
But I’m having a hard time with Elsie! I don’t feel quite as bad about the Little Red Hen although now that I’ve given her a name… So I just settle on moderation.
(I sure wish I could see your comment…)
Or for the love notes the kids make you! Priceless gems.
When I taught, my secret weapon was glitter. “Time to get out your secret weapon, T-shirt!” I’d dig a color tube out of my desk. Gold, silver, blue, green, red, or mixed. One was plenty!
Dazzle it, in front of the teariest eyes of the hopelessly, saddest youngster and watch that Munchkin come back to life! Worked EVERY time, used only on special, dire occasions!
Kids need paper! Helps them learn, to express themselves. We adults don’t need pages upon pages of receipts we trash anyway.
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You can’t see my comment?
I had a strange Facebook experience today. So my account is due for deactivation next Sunday, but I still check it daily for potential messages.
My news feed was filled by the usual:
People mad at each other, justifying behaviours for things that happened the day before, the usual daily outrage.
Not feeling part of this anymore, I felt like I was watching from the outside at madness. I know that a month ago, I wouldn’t have thought twice of it. Maybe would have joined, even.
Why do we inflict this upon ourselves?
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