Giving up Social Media

[Maximus Decimus]

Recently in the news (well about 2 weeks ago) there was the controversy over Cambridge analytica and the subsequent #deleteFacebook hashtag. 

Maybe it's my age but I've noticed an increase in people disillusioned with social media and even coming off it. I first signed up to Facebook in 2006 and for probably 7/8 years used it much like anyone else. That included posting my thoughts on anything and uploading photos of everywhere I went. There were things that annoyed me about it but I thought I'd probably have it forever. 

A couple of years ago my wife suddenly deleted her account and it was like a light was switched on. I could see how people were just trying to present propaganda versions of their lives and were often chasing likes with their comments. I realised that this is what I'd done everytime I posted a set of pictures of a holiday or a trip out. Although I didn't delete my account, I deleted the app and now don't use it. I can't recommend it enough as not once have I missed it. 

In the same vein, I decided to delete Twitter for Lent. I'm not religious but I still like to do something and I was hoping that I'd be able to do without it with a view to using my phone less. Often out of habit I'll scroll twitter looking for nothing in particular. It hasn't been as successful and there are features I genuinely miss. It is harder to follow RL without it for instance. I don't miss the drama and the virtue signalling but I've just replaced using twitter out of habit for other stuff (this forum for one!) 

So I have two more days to decide whether to reinstall it or not. Sadly I think I know the answer! 

[Bob8]

6 minutes ago, Maximus Decimus said:

Recently in the news (well about 2 weeks ago) there was the controversy over Cambridge analytica and the subsequent #deleteFacebook hashtag. 

Maybe it's my age but I've noticed an increase in people disillusioned with social media and even coming off it. I first signed up to Facebook in 2006 and for probably 7/8 years used it much like anyone else. That included posting my thoughts on anything and uploading photos of everywhere I went. There were things that annoyed me about it but I thought I'd probably have it forever. 

A couple of years ago my wife suddenly deleted her account and it was like a light was switched on. I could see how people were just trying to present propaganda versions of their lives and were often chasing likes with their comments. I realised that this is what I'd done everytime I posted a set of pictures of a holiday or a trip out. Although I didn't delete my account, I deleted the app and now don't use it. I can't recommend it enough as not once have I missed it. 

In the same vein, I decided to delete Twitter for Lent. I'm not religious but I still like to do something and I was hoping that I'd be able to do without it with a view to using my phone less. Often out of habit I'll scroll twitter looking for nothing in particular. It hasn't been as successful and there are features I genuinely miss. It is harder to follow RL without it for instance. I don't miss the drama and the virtue signalling but I've just replaced using twitter out of habit for other stuff (this forum for one!) 

So I have two more days to decide whether to reinstall it or not. Sadly I think I know the answer! 

I deleted the Facebook app too.

I think part of it is getting older rather than wiser.  Chasing after social status really does matter when you are young and does not matter as much when you are older. 

There is something to be said for giving things up.  These things got into religious traditions as there is something in it.  If you are too attached to social media, learning to happily let it go id good.  My main reason for setting up a regular charity donation is because I am such a miser.

[Vambo]

I like Twitter for the instant updates on scores. Good mobile app as well.

Hate Facebook though. Always have done. Sometimes I have to log in to 'like' something in order to get a discount on an order or something and everytime I do it reaffirms my dislike for it.

I'm actually of the mind that social media is very divisive and the echo chambers.... man those echo chambers. Hate that it shows me what other people have liked. I have some strange friends lol

[Gerrumonside ref]

I think you’re doing the right thing for all the reasons you give.

I’ve never had a facebook account and have had very little use of social media generally.  I’d still much rather meet up for a beer or a brew and pick up on all those non verbal clues as to how a friend/loved one is doing.

I also think that while I can see the advantage of social media for planning events, I feel sorry for those that are so dominated by social media to the point where their lives are almost lived through it.

Friends of mine that use it have gone through the full cycle of scepticism-euphoria-disillusionment and everybody talks about the ‘keeping up with Jones’ level of admin that is required.

I’m happy to have swerved it ?

[Dave T]

Living away from many family and frienda I use facebook, but rarely post. I enjoy things like people being ou5 and about or holiday stuff, but tbh, the vast majority of posts on by wall are adverts, videos, shared memes etc. I rarely see a normal update about getting drunk anymore.

It has changed massively.

[Bob8]

6 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Living away from many family and frienda I use facebook, but rarely post. I enjoy things like people being ou5 and about or holiday stuff, but tbh, the vast majority of posts on by wall are adverts, videos, shared memes etc. I rarely see a normal update about getting drunk anymore.

It has changed massively.

Facebook was always an old person's site that was initially used by young people.

When all your mates are at the same shool, it is pointless.  Once you and your family are scattered, it has more value. 

Most people do not post very often, I would imagine 90% of the posts you see are posted by 5% of your FB friends.   An odd upside is that if I really were after likes, then posting a picture once every six months is a good way of getting them!

[Maximus Decimus]

14 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Living away from many family and frienda I use facebook, but rarely post. I enjoy things like people being ou5 and about or holiday stuff, but tbh, the vast majority of posts on by wall are adverts, videos, shared memes etc. I rarely see a normal update about getting drunk anymore.

It has changed massively.

WhatsApp has replaced many of the useful functions Facebook used to have. Now if I want to post a picture of the kids it goes to a family group on WhatsApp. I've no desire to share it with people I went to school with or met for 5 minutes 8 years ago. 

[Maximus Decimus]

19 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

I think you’re doing the right thing for all the reasons you give.

I’ve never had a facebook account and have had very little use of social media generally.  I’d still much rather meet up for a beer or a brew and pick up on all those non verbal clues as to how a friend/loved one is doing.

I also think that while I can see the advantage of social media for planning events, I feel sorry for those that are so dominated by social media to the point where their lives are almost lived through it.

Friends of mine that use it have gone through the full cycle of scepticism-euphoria-disillusionment and everybody talks about the ‘keeping up with Jones’ level of admin that is required.

I’m happy to have swerved it ?

It is all keeping up with the Jones', I have a couple of close friends who you'd think were living the life of riley if you saw their Facebook but as I know them, I know they're not. 

Not having Facebook you've missed the joy of posts like:

"I just can't do this anymore"

And the awkward minutes until someone eventually says, 

"why hun what's up?" 

[Futtocks]

5 minutes ago, Maximus Decimus said:

WhatsApp has replaced many of the useful functions Facebook used to have. Now if I want to post a picture of the kids it goes to a family group on WhatsApp. I've no desire to share it with people I went to school with or met for 5 minutes 8 years ago. 

WhatsApp is owned by FaceBook, so the data security concerns still remain, if that's a matter you care about.

[Futtocks]

I created a FaceBook account years ago, in order to access some remixes from a band's site. I hate the interface, the slowness of loading all the components of the page and the endless nagging notifications.

So, while it was prompted by the recent news story, my recent decision to delete my account was down to dislike, more than ethics or data security. I don't miss it. Plenty of advice online about how to actually delete your account, rather than deactivate it.

Twitter, however, is very useful for getting the latest news and updates from the world of RL (and elsewhere).

[Maximus Decimus]

4 minutes ago, Futtocks said:

WhatsApp is owned by FaceBook, so the data security concerns still remain, if that's a matter you care about.

It's not really. Maybe I should but I'm blissfully unaware of it. 

WhatsApp is just easier group texting. 

[Maximus Decimus]

Just now, Futtocks said:

I created a FaceBook account years ago, in order to access some remixes from a band's site. I hate the interface, the slowness of loading all the components of the page and the endless nagging notifications.

So, while it was prompted by the recent news story, my recent decision to delete my account was down to dislike, more than ethics or data security. I don't miss it. Plenty of advice online about how to actually delete your account, rather than deactivate it.

Twitter, however, is very useful for getting the latest news and updates from the world of RL (and elsewhere).

My wife recently found out it hadn't fully deleted her account. 

I only deleted the app because the less I used Facebook the more they were bombarding me with notifications. No matter what setting I had, I'd still get notifications from people I barely know. I had to stop all of them which was when I also deleted the app. 

Following games of RL if you're not there is easiest on twitter. I sometimes prefer it to listening on the radio. 

[Phil]

I use Facebook a lot, it keeps me in touch with family and friends across the world, I’m a member of various RL, music, anarchist and Skinhead groups. 

Most of what has been said above is pretty spot on though. I use it, I don’t live on it. 

[ckn]

As mentioned above, I like Facebook because I've a very distributed set of friends and family and it's useful seeing what they're up to.  If I didn't have it then I'd probably lose contact with a lot of people at the edges I'd just never get around to calling or otherwise getting in contact with, I know that because that's the sort of person I am.

For example, an old friend from years ago retired early after having a breakdown and essentially lives off his boat going around the world.  He's off the western African coast just now and heading north with the changing seasons.  It's always fun seeing his pics of what he's up to next.

Another doctor friend of mine retired recently and now lives in Cumbria as a full-time artist, it's quite a nice start to each day seeing what he's done the day before, be it simple sketches or pencil outlines of his next big paintings.  He's gone from being an emergency medicine consultant to a full-time artist and it's really pleasing to see him enjoy himself.

Others, well, it's frustrating seeing picture after picture after picture of my family's cabbage patch doll children.  Can't really delete family from the list though without annoying people.

[Maximus Decimus]

This is of course true, it's how you use it that counts. For me coming off it woke me up to what I'd been doing as well as what everyone else does. It's like some giant game that makes nobody happy at the end. I didn't use it like you did. 

I suppose my issue with Twitter is similar. It has some obvious good features but there is a lot that annoys me such as virtue signalling and my own using it to pass time. 

I think upon reinstalling I need to have a cull of who I follow. I've done this once before, sadly with RL fans many of whom seemed gleeful at the apparent demise of the game. 

[Maximus Decimus]

7 minutes ago, ckn said:

As mentioned above, I like Facebook because I've a very distributed set of friends and family and it's useful seeing what they're up to.  If I didn't have it then I'd probably lose contact with a lot of people at the edges I'd just never get around to calling or otherwise getting in contact with, I know that because that's the sort of person I am.

For example, an old friend from years ago retired early after having a breakdown and essentially lives off his boat going around the world.  He's off the western African coast just now and heading north with the changing seasons.  It's always fun seeing his pics of what he's up to next.

Another doctor friend of mine retired recently and now lives in Cumbria as a full-time artist, it's quite a nice start to each day seeing what he's done the day before, be it simple sketches or pencil outlines of his next big paintings.  He's gone from being an emergency medicine consultant to a full-time artist and it's really pleasing to see him enjoy himself.

Others, well, it's frustrating seeing picture after picture after picture of my family's cabbage patch doll children.  Can't really delete family from the list though without annoying people.

The reason I haven't deleted it is because of the few people for which I have no other contact. 

I was initially concerned that I would miss out on things but I can genuinely say this hasn't happened at all. 

[Shadow]

I have 68 friends  on Facebook and know all of them offline.

i run a fairly strict regime as far as keeping connected, people that us it as their own version of Hello magazine get unfollowed 

reposts from Albion first or the EDL is a one strike and you’re unfriended line for me. 

[Mark S]

My FB timeline is back constant flow of humble brags, racists comments and those posts with a photo of something inoffensive and a message saying how Facebook banned it, yet it’s there in full view. Also, the ‘I bet this photo of a British Soldier doesn't get any likes’ posts that seem to be all of FB these days.

I like Twitter for keeping up with news, as it always seems to be a step ahead of the BBC.

[Gray1967]

Facebook etc is usefull for what you want it to be in my opinion....I really couldnt give a flying one about what airport you are flying out of or what you are doing on the train, or where you are on holiday etc(you get the drift), but its usefull in the fact that if you are a lazy so and so like me, you can keep in touch with people without having to email phone etc....for example I was diagnosed with a nasty illness a few years ago and it means i can let people know how i am getting on cos I know if it was left to me I wouldnt individualy email/phone everyone(lazy so and so). Also its great for putting up random obscure punk rock tracks...but thats about it. Never bothered with facebook for a long time, but as i said its convenient in some ways...although I,ll be the first to blow it out once circumstances change.

[Wiltshire Rhino]

I've deleted all my friends but still use FB for info on local news and sport. As for friendship, I've got back to the way it used to be. You know, actually go out and meet with friends!

[Maximus Decimus]

As a result of this thread I checked out my Facebook and had 19 notifications. Apparently, somebody putting up a photo that has nothing to do with me qualifies for a notification nowadays. 

I still haven't installed Twitter after Lent, I suspect that'll change with the rugby tomorrow. 

[moorside roughyed]

Never done Facebook, Twitter etc.This is the only social media thing I do because rugby league is my main interest. The missus is on Facebook and the amount of senseless dribble some people put on it makes my head spin.Just not my thing.

[Billypop]

I have been taken to a A and E in an emergency ambulance several times in the last three years, and live on my own. 

I tried to contact my younger daughter for something else a month ago. Number unavailable on phone calls, network send failed on texts. I had to resort to contacting my other kids and finally got a very annoyed sounding reply. Apparently I should have known that she is very busy at work and should be using whatsapp, Of course that contact info has never been supplied to me and I have never used whatsapp. 

Young folks, no idea. Next of kin no longer.

[Bob8]

I think pretty much everyone on this thread spends too long on internet forums.

[Gerrumonside ref]

2 minutes ago, Bob8 said:

I think pretty much everyone on this thread spends too long on internet forums.

Haha - so true!