Thoughts on leaving the social media platform after almost 20 years of use, dead internet theory, AI-powered "friends," the risk of AI scams, and more.
You're right, 2015 is around the time it shifted. And it's just got worse since. When they decided we all needed to see reels as well, I just... No, I don't want to see crap videos made by strangers. I want to see posts from my friends and groups I've chosen to join. But instead, I see reels, and I see endless posts from groups I haven't liked, and adverts! Loads and loads!
When I bought my new washing machine, I looked up some reviews online first, then was followed around the internet for weeks afterwards by adverts for flippin' washing machines. I had a new one. I didn't need another. It's insane!
I don't know for how long FB can call itself social media, either, when it doesn't feel very social anymore, with so little interaction with friends and family.
I didn't even touch on the tracking! Thanks for bringing that up. I, too, have experienced the frustration of being hounded by ads for specific products around the *entire internet* after reading a few reviews on Facebook, or after clicking on just a single commercial FB page. One of the most infuriating things about Facebook's tracking / ad delivery network is that it even tracks NON-users who don't have Facebook accounts. The r/AntiFacebook subreddit has a handy guide for blocking Meta's / FB's trackers: https://np.reddit.com/r/AntiFacebook/wiki/guide/
And I agree, Facebook doesn't feel social at all anymore. In fact, it hasn't felt social for a long time now. It's a testament to how addictive it is that so many of us have put up with it for as long as we have.
And the AI chatbots to combat loneliness?! Maybe if they'd let people keep using FB to stay in contact with friends and family, loneliness wouldn't be such a problem? They're just going to make it worse.
Yes, the concept of developing AI "friends" as an answer to loneliness is a truly baffling proposition. It shows just how out of touch with reality so many of these tech bros are.
He has the money to open real-life cafés and meeting places for people. But we can't do that, can we? We have to solve everything with fecking tech. We can't even see posts from friends and families because we must see adverts and shite videos!
I remember those early Facebook days when people used the wall to make plans and there'd be an ongoing back-and-forth on logistics and whatnot. How innocent it all sounds now.
I've been going through all sorts of internal debate re: social media and my dilemma really comes to making a career as a self-published writer. I've found myself, a cranky old Gen Xer, having to become more active on social media lately, mainly on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. And Facebook for some is still considered the holy grail of book advertising, which is funny, really, because that feeds into some of the issues you brought up. I'd love to be done with everything other than Substack, but alas...
I definitely quit using Facebook actively a few years ago and for about 2 years at the same time, I checked my Memories every day and deleted anything I found. Indeed, a 2 year process to get it all, but it was worth it. More for the sake of my embarrassment than anything.
When Meta declared that they would stop fact-checking, I decided I would deactivate my account. When Zuckerberg joined Trump's Incel clan, I actually panicked and deleted my account instead, simply because I believed that if I didn't, it might not be possible in the future.
Hilarious that now Zuckerberg wants to turn Facebook into Ready Player One 🤦🏼♀️ good grief
A very wise decision! I wish I'd left sooner myself. I mean, it's not as though I was lacking for reasons to leave and stop supporting Meta products. Scrolling through that wasteland of a content feed shouldn't have been such a hard habit to break...
You're right, 2015 is around the time it shifted. And it's just got worse since. When they decided we all needed to see reels as well, I just... No, I don't want to see crap videos made by strangers. I want to see posts from my friends and groups I've chosen to join. But instead, I see reels, and I see endless posts from groups I haven't liked, and adverts! Loads and loads!
When I bought my new washing machine, I looked up some reviews online first, then was followed around the internet for weeks afterwards by adverts for flippin' washing machines. I had a new one. I didn't need another. It's insane!
I don't know for how long FB can call itself social media, either, when it doesn't feel very social anymore, with so little interaction with friends and family.
I didn't even touch on the tracking! Thanks for bringing that up. I, too, have experienced the frustration of being hounded by ads for specific products around the *entire internet* after reading a few reviews on Facebook, or after clicking on just a single commercial FB page. One of the most infuriating things about Facebook's tracking / ad delivery network is that it even tracks NON-users who don't have Facebook accounts. The r/AntiFacebook subreddit has a handy guide for blocking Meta's / FB's trackers: https://np.reddit.com/r/AntiFacebook/wiki/guide/
And I agree, Facebook doesn't feel social at all anymore. In fact, it hasn't felt social for a long time now. It's a testament to how addictive it is that so many of us have put up with it for as long as we have.
And the AI chatbots to combat loneliness?! Maybe if they'd let people keep using FB to stay in contact with friends and family, loneliness wouldn't be such a problem? They're just going to make it worse.
Yes, the concept of developing AI "friends" as an answer to loneliness is a truly baffling proposition. It shows just how out of touch with reality so many of these tech bros are.
He has the money to open real-life cafés and meeting places for people. But we can't do that, can we? We have to solve everything with fecking tech. We can't even see posts from friends and families because we must see adverts and shite videos!
(Sorry, have been on wine!)
Precisely! The solution to loneliness is to delete Facebook, put down our phones, get out of the house / flat, and join a few in-person groups.
But, of course, that doesn't increase Meta's share value, so ... 🤷♀️
I remember those early Facebook days when people used the wall to make plans and there'd be an ongoing back-and-forth on logistics and whatnot. How innocent it all sounds now.
I've been going through all sorts of internal debate re: social media and my dilemma really comes to making a career as a self-published writer. I've found myself, a cranky old Gen Xer, having to become more active on social media lately, mainly on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. And Facebook for some is still considered the holy grail of book advertising, which is funny, really, because that feeds into some of the issues you brought up. I'd love to be done with everything other than Substack, but alas...
I definitely quit using Facebook actively a few years ago and for about 2 years at the same time, I checked my Memories every day and deleted anything I found. Indeed, a 2 year process to get it all, but it was worth it. More for the sake of my embarrassment than anything.
When Meta declared that they would stop fact-checking, I decided I would deactivate my account. When Zuckerberg joined Trump's Incel clan, I actually panicked and deleted my account instead, simply because I believed that if I didn't, it might not be possible in the future.
Hilarious that now Zuckerberg wants to turn Facebook into Ready Player One 🤦🏼♀️ good grief
A very wise decision! I wish I'd left sooner myself. I mean, it's not as though I was lacking for reasons to leave and stop supporting Meta products. Scrolling through that wasteland of a content feed shouldn't have been such a hard habit to break...