All things are in moderation, however, some things simply outlive their usefulness. Agreeing with Matt Steel’s comment in his Huffington Post article, when comparing healthy and toxic communication tools, “Facebook falls squarely into the toxic category.”
I just can’t remember a substantive Facebook conversation or a dialogue not interrupted with trolling, or hostile content. Moreover, I don’t remember the last time I logged in and didn’t see images of someone’s pet, someone’s child, or wasn’t flooded with the deafening posts of the “world’s injustices.” I had no choice, I stopped using Facebook. Steel has his ten reasons, here are mine:
Phonies and Frauds
Of the many platforms I use, Facebook takes first place for embellishers, cheaters, and dishonest people. The platform is perfect for users to deliver their “curated self”, as a result, who are you really talking to?
Complainers
If you’re unsure what is wrong with your city, neighborhood, employer, or the world at large, simply log in. It would seem many users simply use the platform to spew injustice.
Slacktivism
Rampant throughout the platform are those that “support” causes. However, these civic-minded people never attend an event, rally, march, meeting, or even donate a penny.
The Audience Doesn’t Actually Read
A recent study confirmed this phenomenon isn’t in our heads; in fact, 59 percent of all links shared aren’t actually clicked on at all, implying the majority of article shares aren’t based on actual reading!
It’s a Time Soak
The average time spent per day on Facebook per user is around 50 minutes. Seriously, 50 minutes…as an average. Imagine, while wasting away on Facebook, other activities such as exercise, socializing, and relaxation, fall by the wayside.
My Privacy
By disconnecting I eliminated some of the people that slip through the cracks and merely want to be nosy, and also the potential identity thief with much more nefarious intentions. Not to mention, personal information is being used for profit.
I Don’t Need Validation
I don’t need or want someone to congratulate me, tell me I look good in a picture, or marvel at my vacation. I made those choices, took that picture on purpose, and chose that vacation location, I’m good. All too often the platform dialogue is circular: “You’re awesome, no you’re awesome, no you’re awesome,” repeat.
It’s Depressing
The Department of Behavioral Science at Utah Valley University found in their study that Facebook makes us view our lives negatively.
Fake Content
No vetting, no concerns. I’ve read everything from the Earth is flat to our president is an alien imposter. When this type of content needs to be “filtered”, it’s time to go.
Data Ownership
Lastly, they own your data. That’s right people, I just wrote that, they own your data. That racy picture you deleted? Well, if they want to sell it for a porn or lingerie advertisement, there is absolutely, positively nothing you can do to stop the sale. Once added, they own it. Think about that.
Do yourself a favor, instead of posting how great your dinner was last night, call the person that comes to mind and tell them about your dinner. Better yet, take them to dinner and show them!
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