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

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

#331

Post by vonseel »

Not permanently, but yes, I stay deactivated nearly 100% of the time. Facebook's algorithm doesn't seem to work for me, as the feed is cluttered with mostly old college acquaintances and (maybe worse) older relatives sharing crazy articles and posting things that look like they came straight out of r/oldpeoplefacebook.

In many ways, I preferred Facebook and other social medias when my family members were not following me on the platforms. I am an adult and nearly 30 years old, but it feels a bit like your parents watching you at your first school dance. That is, it's hard to be yourself when you're worried what people think. This includes peers, but maybe it's easier to brush off the opinions of non-relatives than it is relatives.

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

#332

Post by gfodor »

Stopped using Facebook in July in 2016 because the election had turned it into a terrible place. Never found a reason to go back, so just deactivated my account earlier this year.

I can understand why some people can't do it, but for me it was a minor upside vs major downside situation. I found that my overall level of happiness increased after I stopped using it (and Twitter.)

I still log onto Twitter occasionally but my rules are:

- Always log in with a specific goal in mind, like DMing someone or making a tweet

- When not performing that goal, log out

- Prefer direct navigation/bookmarking of interesting people and reading their feeds vs looking at logged in timeline

It works a lot better but if you want to tweet something you still need to wade into it.

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

#333

Post by sneak »

bigiain wrote: post #228
Carpetsmoker wrote: post #217

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think this is too harsh. Organising a grand 50th birthday is a lot of effort, and forgetting that one friend (who may not be a close friend but still a friend ) doesn't have Facebook is easy enough.

"Easy enough" - only if your default way of thinking is "all my friends are facebook friends". That's plain lazy thinking, it's completely giving up on your privacy-aware friends because Zuckerberg makes doing that so so easy. What a surprise.

It is indeed lazy thinking; but it doesn’t make it insincere or wrong, just inaccurate.

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

#334

Post by eigenloss »

sm4rk0 wrote: post #192

Yes. Too much BS from FB piled up... So I've started the process on Nov. 25th and in two days it will be a point of no return (yay!). FYI: After deletion, there's one-month period when you can change your mind and undelete the account. I was a very active user since 2007. and I've made the decision literally overnight and made it into action one week later, after announcing it to friends and downloading my data. I've…

Just in case you didn't know, deleting posts or your account here is impossible.

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

#338

Post by alskdj21 »

sahaskatta wrote: post #328
zenexer wrote: post #7

Almost. I started the process—downloaded all my data, etc. Unfortunately, I couldn’t go through with it for reasons I’m embarrassed to admit: 1. One entire side of my extended family relies on it for all familial communications. I was forced to use Facebook Messenger recently to help with wedding planning, for example. These people are addicted to it an have invested everything in it—Facebook knows their entire lives…

You can use Facebook Messenger without a Facebook account. (I haven't tried it, but I know quite a few people that do this.)

As what I've heard from my friends, you can deactivate your Facebook profile and still have Messenger on. Though you can't use Messenger without creating a Facebook account.

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

#339

Post by charlesism »

Carpetsmoker wrote: post #141

No. I actually created a Facebook account in 2018. The problem is that without Facebook you will miss out. Sure, close friends and family will invite you to their social events, but more distant acquaintances will not; you know, the bloke you met at the pub last week and had a 20 minute chat with, or that cute girl you talked to but then she suddenly she was dragged off to a birthday party by her friends. By missing…

I left Facebook as soon as I realized they weren't reputable (some time around 2010 or 2011). By the time I left FB had already repeatedly betrayed user trust via "opt-out" security settings.

    having a good social life was (and remains) vastly 
    important to the quality of my life, and that 
    Facebook is a tool to help achieve that goal.
From 2017: "A New, More Rigorous Study Confirms: The More You Use Facebook, the Worse You Feel"

    Standing up for your principles and "voting with 
    your wallet" is good and all, but ... I'm not so 
    sure it's all that effective.
From July of this year: "Facebook on Thursday posted the largest one-day loss in market value by any company in U.S. stock market history after releasing a disastrous quarterly report."

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

#340

Post by marwarii »

Yes, I did. Actually I stopped using since 2016 but deleted in 2018 after massive data scandal. I'm nowhere missing it, and that helped me in many ways in saving my own time and doing real stuff.

Stopped using even Instagram, I installed the app again today itself after almost 1 year, and just added one picture. Then I might forget to use it and have to uninstall the app till next time.

I use WhatsApp but only when I need it most. All notifications are turned off so it can't disturb me and I can open only when I need to.

Though I use Twitter often. Maybe 30-60 minute a day.

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