Ask HN: Did you delete your Facebook account in 2018? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Did you delete your Facebook account in 2018?

#71

Post by devereaux » Sun, Dec 23, 2018, 10:30 PM UTC

CharlesW wrote: post #35

Yes, deleting all posts (using Social Book Posts Manager[1] IIRC) and other footprints as much as possible before I did. Of course, I can't control whether Facebook actually performed those deletions or just simulated it to my satisfaction. On retrospect I'm now just sick that I was ever caught up in their "engagement at any expense" Skinner Box to the extent that I was. I'd have Facebook open in one tab and start ty…

I didn't use facebook in 2018, and when I tried to buy a Oculus they just cancelled my order.

It's hard to not see a relationship. The (lack of) digital footprint and engagement can come back and bite you.

Re: Ask HN: Did you delete your Facebook account in 2018?

#72

Post by chriswarbo » Sun, Dec 23, 2018, 10:32 PM UTC

No, I've never used it. Or MySpace, Instagram, SnapChat, LinkedIn, FourSquare, etc.

I did install Android on my 'phone when it was first released, but at the time its keyboard was hard-coded to specific hardware (the G1 had a physical "jump" button that my 'phone doesn't have, and this was required for typing punctuation). I uninstalled it and went back to Debian, haven't looked back :)

Re: Ask HN: Did you delete your Facebook account in 2018?

#73

Post by codyb » Sun, Dec 23, 2018, 10:35 PM UTC

When I asked my friend why be shared something that was clearly fake and he said "some people share things and some people look them up" or some bullshit I decided to unfollow every single person on my feed. Took a while but now when I log in there is nothing, and I basically never log in.

I use the messenger sometimes.

Re: Ask HN: Did you delete your Facebook account in 2018?

#74

Post by chx » Sun, Dec 23, 2018, 10:36 PM UTC

First of all, I do not use the Facebook mobile app, just the website. But -- I deleted my Facebook account very long ago, but I created a new one in 2016 and it's indispensable. Just a few days ago I posted why https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18728223

Re: Ask HN: Did you delete your Facebook account in 2018?

#75

Post by Teknoman117 » Sun, Dec 23, 2018, 10:36 PM UTC

I’d delete mine if it weren’t the most reliable way of reaching various friends and family members.

That being said, I haven’t posted to it in years. I just use messenger...

Re: Ask HN: Did you delete your Facebook account in 2018?

#76

Post by procinct » Sun, Dec 23, 2018, 10:37 PM UTC

chriswarbo wrote: post #72

No, I've never used it. Or MySpace, Instagram, SnapChat, LinkedIn, FourSquare, etc. I did install Android on my 'phone when it was first released, but at the time its keyboard was hard-coded to specific hardware (the G1 had a physical "jump" button that my 'phone doesn't have, and this was required for typing punctuation). I uninstalled it and went back to Debian, haven't looked back :)

Just to clarify, are you saying you run Debian on your phone? If so how does that all work? What sort of phone do you use?

Re: Ask HN: Did you delete your Facebook account in 2018?

#77

Post by givinguflac » Sun, Dec 23, 2018, 10:38 PM UTC

I deleted it a few years ago. Before doing so I unrated myself from everything, unliked everything, replaced all my posts and comments to just an underscore, then deleted each post and finally the account.

Re: Ask HN: Did you delete your Facebook account in 2018?

#78

Post by elAhmo » Sun, Dec 23, 2018, 10:39 PM UTC

Huh, this is a tricky one.

I did not delete it, since I do use it for login to many sites and many friends, coworkers and groups that I find relevant use it, however I took few effective steps that almost eliminated its usage:

- turning of notifications

- removing the app from the main screen, and putting it in a random folder (I tried deleting it, but for 2FA I need to have its key generator, so I keep the app)

This is it. I just checked and in the past week, I used it 14 minutes on mobile, and probably around the same time on desktop.

My usage is quite low profile, I tend to post a picture every few months, and check out some groups, but nothing more than that.

Instagram on the other end is becoming problematic as its becoming a main social network for almost all of my friends and it is really easy to get sucked into it.

Re: Ask HN: Did you delete your Facebook account in 2018?

#79

Post by aportnoy » Sun, Dec 23, 2018, 10:40 PM UTC

devereaux wrote: post #71

CharlesW wrote: post #35

Yes, deleting all posts (using Social Book Posts Manager[1] IIRC) and other footprints as much as possible before I did. Of course, I can't control whether Facebook actually performed those deletions or just simulated it to my satisfaction. On retrospect I'm now just sick that I was ever caught up in their "engagement at any expense" Skinner Box to the extent that I was. I'd have Facebook open in one tab and start ty…

I didn't use facebook in 2018, and when I tried to buy a Oculus they just cancelled my order. It's hard to not see a relationship. The (lack of) digital footprint and engagement can come back and bite you.

What do you mean? What's the relationship?

Re: Ask HN: Did you delete your Facebook account in 2018?

#80

Post by dijit » Sun, Dec 23, 2018, 10:41 PM UTC

I deleted it last year. No negative effects more than a couple of comments from family members and 1/2 events that were only organised via Facebook events.

The impact on my life is not large. It’s muted but palpable, I don’t consider myself “better” than anyone else, which is usually the implication that Facebook-account holders seem to have.