Why People Can't Leave Meta even if Zuck is terrible

[@chelisue]

I gave up all social media except KZbin several yrs ago and my stress levels went way down. But I wasn’t trying to make money on social media either.

[@graphite2786]

Gen X here , only use KZbin. I grew up without Social Media - I use email, txt, and even snail mail. There's something a little magical about sending and receiving something handwritten ( with drawings) instead of a post. And guess what? We still use MySpace 😅😅😅. The App isn't available on the app stores but is still running and available if you go to the MySpace website 😅. Everyone under 50 can't believe it, but it still does the job without the propaganda, hate and algorithms.

[@forestfox-s7p]

same here!! best thing I ever did for myself

[@KelliDowning]

Glad to know I am not the only one that has been on KZbin more than the other socials. The only other one I am actually slightly engaged in is Bluesky.

[@FreakRocker]

The problem with YT as well is the spiraling algorithm that will send people into doom viewing. The comments are absolutely soul crushing in most cases. Most of social media issues would be slowed if the comment section went away.

[@sharona328]

I got rid of Facebook about a year or two ago and Twitter a few months ago. My partner has FB and I used it once bc I needed access to a group to get important information. Can WhatsApp be an alternative? Oh wait, that's Zuckerberg too I think.

[@NoneOfThisMartyrs]

Quitting Facebook was the best decision I’ve made in a while. Utter garbage.

[@ShotDrawnCut]

I ditched FB after the Cambridge Analytica scandal. They don’t give a hoot about society and our welfare. Deleted Twitter and TikTok too

[@HojotohoWhereverIGo]

I got rid of Facebook, messenger, and threads last Pride when I reported literal death threats and they determined that didn’t violate their community standards, even after submitting them for a second review. I still have instagram for the reasons you mentioned here though. I wish someone would create an alternative to Facebook the way bluesky was created for twitter.

[@joshyoung1580]

Someone, somewhere, surely is. Every form of prohibition creates a new form of contraband and a new system of distributing said contraband. These tech-bros are trying to handcuff the wind.

[@nancykerrigan]

I heard bluesky is working on an image sharing service similar to Instagram.

[@littlestbroccoli]

I wish we had a free system of contacting people that didn't involve anything being held over our heads. A replacement platform isn't going to solve the problem of them having too much power. And, oh wait, we do have that it's called phones, though the support structure is up to us to recreate.

[@jenniferstone2975]

I quit FB in 2020. All that rage farming yuck was eating away at my mind and soul. People have done just fine without FB for the entirety of human history. I am sure we will do fine without that foolishness.

[@kaptynssirensong2357]

Yeah I dumped fb that same year for the exact same reason.

[@erinj9642]

I stopping getting on FB for that reason but FB messenger has been how I communicate with family in the UK. But I'm asking them to move to Signal messenging app.

[@Axobattler]

I was banned from Reddit last year It's unfortunate because I am an idiot

[@simmyjester]

I still have a FB account but I quit using it once they discontinued FarmVille at the end of 2020.

[@herlandercarvalho]

2020? I quit FB back in 2010's because of Farmville. I was always getting automated messages from friends asking me if I wanted to buy eggs and shit like that. So annoying.

[@bernardkung7306]

I've never been on Facebook, but a few years ago I moved from the big city to a smallish town, and I have come to the realization that almost every group/community I want to find/be a part of is communicating chiefly via Facebook.

[@LMc-l7h]

I'm a homeschooling mom & I'd never hear about anything - new (to me) curricula, or local classes, meet-ups, cultural opportunities w/out FB. Probably just delete it from my phone and limit it to a brief daily review, so they have access to less data at least.

[@pieceofpeace35]

It really is useful for community organizing. And Marketplace is great. It sucks that it's run by such an awful person and that they can take advantage of us like this.

[@Merriwether-w8k]

@@LMc-l7h You can't do hard things

[@ginalou76]

We all need to take a deep breath, and remember that there was life before social media. Personally, for me, there has always been something off about social media in general, and I've been wary for years. I've been the weird one who doesn't engage.....never made a single insta post, never even signed up for twitter. I believe the mental health benefits are real. Our young people need to see us model our values, prioritize wellbeing for ourselves and each other, and stand strong for what is right.

[@fluffytimes100]

Deleted Facebook, instagram and Amazon. I feel REAL again! 🥰💖🕊️🕊️🕊️

[@joiab11]

🎉🎉🎉

[@janelleglass3673]

I recently gave up Facebook, Instagram and thread and it was not an easy decision.

[@lazygardens]

There are so MANY hobby and community groups (free from the toxic shit) that it's going to be hard to escape.

[@nadineskye7050]

100%! My local hobby groups rely entirely on FB for communication. They are my one last tie to that site, otherwise I would have deleted my account long ago. I did delete my IG, however. I don't miss it at all! I wish our groups would consider returning to individual websites/message boards/Email.

[@williamhenderson1521]

Quit a few months ago. I don't miss it nearly as much as I thought I would.

[@realdeal444]

I cancelled my Instagram on Tuesday. F**K the ZUCK! (Sorry about my asterisks). Keep up the good work! I love your content! Yup, I do!

[@lspthrattan]

Thank you for not judging people who don't make the switch instantaneously; a lot of people couldn't afford to lose, say, $400 a month in income. I don't have any income to lose, but I do use meta apps to communicate a lot. I'll figure out the best way to change things up, but not until I have a chance to ponder a bit. Each of us has to figure it out in our own way. But I'm with you; these techdudebros have gotta GO.

[@Merriwether-w8k]

Just move to Bluesky

[@fairywingsonroses]

My thoughts are this: If I cancelled/refused to buy every product and/or service that I didn't agree with from an ethical standpoint, I wouldn't even be able to buy groceries. I actually tried to only buy ethically and domestically made clothing for a while, and not only were the options super limited and not my style, but the cost was astronomical. The same thing happened with toothpaste, laundry detergent, and refillable shampoo bottles. Even taking an ethical stance on a single thing make your life exponentially more difficult and more expensive. I don't agree with the unethical actions of any of these companies. I drive a hybrid, and it makes me angry to know that the battery was likely made from materials mined by children. But everything else I own has been produced on some level by kids too. You can't create change by selectively choosing one singular product or service and boycotting it. The entire system needs to change from the top down, and that is so difficult to do because, unfortunately, even life necessities like food and housing fall under the category of morally reprehensible.

[@beverlybauer3820]

I have slowly over the last few months removed pages, contacts, groups etc that no longer serve me. Changed settings to most restrictive. No longer go on daily. When I do go on, I look at the groups I want and some family stuff. No longer engage with any random posts generated by like interests. Get on and off as quickly as possible with no idle scrolling. I used to repost from other platforms to help boost algorithm but now repost to blue sky.

[@Mike-cr4pl]

I was a FB member since 2004. I just dumped all of Zucks platforms after he showed his colors. Facts and inclusivity matter.. his sniffing the diaper was the last straw. All of my friends and family used FB to stay connected.. ill miss those interactions, but, morals are more important.

[@erinj9642]

I'm telling all of my peeps I'm leaving FB and Instagram on a specific date and after that they can reach me by calling, texting, emailing or coming by to see me like in the good old days. I dumped Twitter when Musk took over, and I've survived without it. I'm just done having anything to do with those oligarchs. That said, my livelihood doesn't depend on them, so there's no judgment on those who feel stuck and stay.

[@Merriwether-w8k]

I judge the women who stay - these men are not pro choice - they are not pro woman - they are misogynists - DO NOT SUPPORT people who hate you

[@DominikaMačinga]

👏👏👏 world need more people like you

[@QueenEllouise]

It's becoming clearer and clearer to me that we have entered into technofeudalism. If possible, people should absolutely move to more democratic, private, and actual social forms of social media, such as that can be found in the fediverse, which bluesky is tangentially part of Edit: clarified what in my original comment read as "bluesky is a big one imo"

[@kobaltkween]

"Bluesky Social, officially named Bluesky Social PBC, is a privately-owned for-profit corporation." It's not obligated to make a profit for its shareholders. But its stock will still tank if it ever stops growing. So don't be surprised when people are crying about how it's changed in the future.

[@carolineasebrook6643]

Excellent description!! Technofeudelism. I can’t type it, but I love it!!!

[@QueenEllouise]

@kobaltkween yeah I'm gonna edit my comment to better reflect what I meant my bad. I think bluesky is a net good because of it being part of the fediverse and not relying directly on the big 5 for their platforms

[@babybirdhome]

I want to leave it desperately, too, but I also can't due to the connections I only have there. I tried to hedge against this back in 2015, multiple times, but I couldn't gain any traction and so that never happened. It's not so much that "we" gave Zuck too much control - it's that our elected officials did. Facebook was only one of numerous sites. Other sites came up competing against it competently, and Facebook bought them until there were none. This is what deregulation looks like in the real world. Regulations are necessary in a free society and they have to be rigorously enforced because *_every single time they're not_* something terrible happens to the citizenry. Every. Single. Time. And yet we learn nothing. I'm still looking for the alternative. Maybe LiveJournal will make a comeback. Or something else that's been in someone's hobbies for a few years will crop up and gain momentum. Otherwise, we're going to have to get back to using telephones and the USPS. The one thing that's certain is that we can never again allow any individual or group of individuals to "own the town square". These are civil places for citizens to engage freely. That can never be privatized.

[@kolober2045]

Working on shutting down my FB account, but I want, at minimum, all my pictures off there and the data download feature isn't working so I'm going to have to do it manually and I am not ready for that. I don't use it actively anyway.

[@Lyrielonwind]

They don't make it easy to just simply close your account.

[@linda5278]

Thankfully I gave up FB in 2012, due to the vitriol from Christians. I was aghast at the hatred.

[@MagicRay2]

I have mixed feelings about whether to leave Instagram or not (I had a Facebook for a hot second, but then realize I didn’t really want to stay on it). I don’t want to support meta further, but my saved post and all the accounts I follow allow me to stay updated and informed on all the issues I care about and they also prompt me to think critically and etc . . . And then there is the mindset that this is what people like Zuck and Musk want, to run us from these places that have been vital for organizing and making information accessible to our fellow friends, neighbors and colleagues who are disabled and where it’s much harder for them to get out into in person organizing engagements. I say all of this so say I just don’t know. But that I’m going to process this.

[@angelcitystudio]

I just deleted instagram and Whatsapp and threads.... Facebook I rarely log into and I DO NOT get my news from there.

[@dallaynavokan5513]

I am beyond lucky that I never made a facebook account. I couldn't say why I didn't, I just kept shying away from it for some reason.

[@Dan-dg9pi]

There are millions of people who have vibrant social lives and never go on Facebook or those other platforms. In fact, I think you will find that you have a lot more time and will be moved to have actual human conversations that you are allowing Zuck (Mr. Perm) mediate right now.

[@greeneyedlady5580]

There are lots of people like me who are senior citizens, disabled, or both. and aren't able to have in person "vibrant social lives". While I refuse to use any of Zuckerberg's other platforms, FB let's me stay in touch with my extended family, my classmates from 50 years ago, and an old-timers group from the county where I grew up. Even my 15 year old granddaughter posts often on FB, and there's no way that I'm giving up on seeing all the pictures she shares.

[@mtnbiker14]

I left Facebook back in 2012. I'm sure my information is still all over the Internet for anyone who wants to put a little effort into finding it. The process to quit sucked even back then.

[@Lyrielonwind]

I did it in 2020 and it wasn't easy to shut down my account. I have the same concerns about it.

[@tabkaliO]

I’m getting rid of Instagram. I live in 🇲🇽 and so many businesses are on What’s App. Also FB has all the immigrant expat groups where we can look for info on mechanics, lawyers, doctors, or just stay in general communication about things. It really sucks. Investigating Reddit groups right now for the switch over.

[@montanaplants]

I just got on there, but someone said the groups on Discord are a good alternative. I will be checking it out.

[@carolperdue7534]

The Harris campaign did a lot of its organizing on Discord. I dont think its as intuitive to learn as Facebook but I'm a Boomer so.... I admit I'm technically challenged on this stuff. Also Isaac Hayes son is trying to crowd fund a site/app called Fanbase.

[@lyneyarose]

Discord is a great way to stay connected. I've been using it since 2016 and ditched FB in 2017. Most of my friends and family have signed up with it so it's a way I've been able to keep in touch. I highly recommend using Discord. It's huge in the gaming community.

[@rhythmandblues_alibi]

Discord is very different from FB. I am just not a huge fan of the interface.

[@TheNighteater]

Discord is kinda like the early internet days fourms. Each server is separate fourm and the channels are the topics. Now you just also have the ability for voice and video calls as well. And emoji, videos etc

[@leely7777]

I only have KZbin and recently blue sky (for now), and simple text and email to keep in touch with friends and family.

[@jainthorne4136]

I’m really enjoying BlueSky. It’s so refreshing after Facebook

[@Iquey]

We gotta bring back analog address / phone books from the 90s and 2000s. 😂 Just in case they try to nuke the internet.

[@FreedomforHaiti]

I still have a book of hand-written contact info. for people. I never gave that up.

[@kristiew.7472]

Trading things on FB Buy Nothing is the most anti-capitalist thing I do. Not giving it up and as someone who has been trying to ditch Bezos for 4 years… it’s really hard. He even owns IMDB.

[@leashyafitzpatrick-munyon5710]

I feel the same way. My local Buy Nothing group is why I haven't completely left FB.

[@SmashingDesign]

Exactly, I missed out on a bunch of fun free events when I deactivated for a while. I find the best yard sales on Facebook.

[@manderly33]

And Buy Nothing has tried to leave Meta and create their own app! People didn’t use it. I had it on my phone for a while but it was a ghost town.

[@DustinLaGriza]

I've not used IMDB in over a decade. Wikipedia and Fandom are better

[@kristiew.7472]

@@DustinLaGrizaI don’t know Fandom, I’ll give it a try! Thanks

[@NatuProg]

Facing the same dilemma. I think the app signal might be our new messenger, but we’re going to have to invite all of our contacts over. It’s a gradual process.

[@carolperdue7534]

I definitely want to get off Facebook, I only go on there to acknowledge birthdays and things for friends I dont see often. There always some scammer trying to get me to "friend" them or some Trumper starting an argument.

[@sandrinedurand3203]

I am in the same position having family and friends all over the globe. I want to ditch facebook but I need to be organized about it.

[@lauram5139]

I know I need to transition off of Meta platforms but you are right it's complicated.

[@bronwynlucas8350]

In Aust and me too, wondering about Messenger only. When we sold our business in March, I said first thing, off FB! I was an early uptaker in hospitality. However, with more time now, I find great things like you! and similar interests . I understand that in this skewed arena there are wonderful people doing great things. But Meta and Maga are against us. I was listening to a radio program yesterday with Helen Clark, former NZ PM who said , among other things, that the economy should work for people, not vice versa. And inequality. Bigger issue for you USAers but with Antisocial Media swaying people, we will surely catch up with we vote in Me Potato Head and his far right crew. Yes, Musky and Zuck, are not good for planet and people.

[@bmanndotcom4023]

It's called email.

[@TravisHRF16CC]

I’m not on META. If I want to contact someone I go old school…make a phone call, or use the newfangled thing called texting.

[@kikijewell2967]

No victim blaming. We weren't foolish. We were fooled... deliberately.

[@TwisterTornado]

Uh...I wasn't the only hipster telling y'all about vintage sci-fi books... No, lots of people knew. This is very nearly the most predictable outcome of this scenario. Nerds taking over? No, we shouldn't have let them.

[@JJ-qo7th]

@@TwisterTornado Oh, stop. "Nerd" isn't the operative trait. The word you're looking for is "Rich asshole".

[@TwisterTornado]

@Emily-k7t5r Thank you, I'll check that out. :)

[@JJ-qo7th]

@@TwisterTornado Excuse you. This isn't a nerd thing. It's an oligarch thing.

[@TwisterTornado]

@@JJ-qo7th You are not even nerdy enough to read, or know about these books, so I would not act so offended, if I were you.

[@Aaron_Bong]

I've removed all but family and close friends from FB. Less than 70 people. I cleaned out groups to just less than 10 sticking with a few gardening, buynothing and local neighborhood groups. I'll do as little as possible on FB but I still need to interact with family and some groups until something better comes along.

[@gilichu]

use an ad blocker and limit usage to only what is beneficial- no ads, no revenue for meta

[@skyethebard]

I have yet to take down my fb but I mostly left when Trump first ran for pres. I occasionally pop on to comment on someone else's posts but I don't make posts of my own. I did start a Blue Sky account last month but I'm out of the habit and don't know that I want to change. I'll probably take my fb account down soon and encourage my husband to so the same. It all feels gross at this point.

[@melusine826]

Exactly 😢. I'm only on there for events, marketplace, groups and some friends/ family for years

[@tracymsnrn4596]

Me too. I only use facebook for marketplace and Finding local events. I have recipes saved on instagram. I can write those down. But I don’t know an alternative for marketplace or events.

[@LBC23-v7l]

People lived full and satisfying lives before social media. Please stop being dependent addicts

[@TrinketTheDragonsHoarde]

Jcink forums? Dreamwidth? wordpress? Email... and getting people to co-op into creating a new platform???

[@stacimcgill793]

Thank you for sharing this. Like you, I have having a challenge letting go due to connections with groups. It will take some time to get me off the apps but I have a feeling it will be coming this year.

[@moira8370]

I lost some important contact info when I deleted all meta apps in 2020, but that’s because I did it wrong. I did it overnight, with no prep, out of anger. I think announcing to the audience you have, both at an organizing level as well as a personal level, that they’re better suited to reach you via text or via KZbin, etc, would create those pathways to connection. Best of luck navigating this hellscape!

[@rebeccat9389]

We must build backups now!!

[@seanjones21]

I left in 2017. Just call your friends and family or go out to meet them

[@SoupBone-bp1qk]

People need to start writing letters again to stay connected to each other. There is a special feeling of getting a letter from a loved one. FB is not necessary to stay connected to people. Or pick up the phone and call each other. Another upside of sending letters is that it will help the Post Office out too!

[@rebeccat9389]

Followed you on Bluesky!

[@DReardon-hq2vb]

I left and I’ve never been happier. It’s not the only way you can connect to family members there’s signal and text and email and even phone calls.

[@TreeHairedGingerAle]

Mastodon?

[@Lyrielonwind]

I don't know now but four years ago it wasn't easy for me to close my account on Facebook. It's wasn't as simple as clicking unsubscribe bottom.

[@gabriellec5962]

For me personally it’s not even about politics. Aside from the practical uses of social media (ie organizing, buy nothing groups, marketplace, educational/support/advice pages) I really hate it as a whole. It’s moved our way of socializing to a very non- tangible experience which truly hurts humanity in my opinion. Our mental health is actually suffering from too much screen time. That’s already been proven. We know what we need to do to be a healthier functioning society. We need to share the same physical space to truly connect and experience the full depth of benefits that come with socialization. Even a phone call is better than how we are “socializing” now. I dream that people will eventually become bored with social media and that it will not be the “cool” thing to do anymore. I am with you though on the necessity for alternatives for things like organizing/selling.

[@teresahegerich8835]

Not getting rid of either just yet. I will go silent on inauguration day. All of my elected reps are on FB, as well as my local Democratic committee.

[@STEAMLabDenver]

Yep. I posted on FB to everyone that I was deleting my account and to reach out for my number through DM. I left it on there for a while to give people time to reach out. I do miss seeing what some people are doing but we were never meant to have that many “friends”. I think we will all be healthier for deleting FB. It’s time to move on. Some other platform will start if enough of us leave. The problem is more on the international level and the people who rely on it for business.

[@shayday6808]

It’s so true. I’m trying to figure out ways to remove myself from all meta.

[@Merriwether-w8k]

THIS IS AN OUTRIGHT LIE - it can be done - she just doesn't want to - just go to websites or move to Bluesky

[@hubband.and.hussif]

I just checked, and the only Instagram account I ever check is also in the process of closing, in protest.

[@AgingOnYourTerms]

I am also in the process for figuring out how to cut my ties. Honestly, I do not 'socialize' with all of my friend connections on Facebook and Instagram...I just keep up with them. From a monetization standpoint, I get more engagement on my KZbin channel, and the algorithm pushes my content more than META ever did.

[@sharongillesp]

Vampires can never return to being human beings.

[@ChixieMary]

Ive been in the "avoid if possible" mode for FB for years now. Its just a way to keep up with family. I rarely respond or post.

[@lainimitchell6312]

I was going to delete but then saw that my Oculus will stop working. Now I have to decide if I'm going to brick it or not. :(

[@fanofintelligence1645]

I am staying only because it is currently the only option for finding groups for my child to socialize. As a secular homeschooler in the bib belt it can be difficult to find like minded.

[@jcomden]

The easiest way to get off meta is to get perma banned, then there is no choice.

[@delicadacomoumelefante]

I left Facebook years ago. I would like to be in buy nothing groups or second hand buy groups. There was so many fake news that I had no patience. This year I left Instagram. I would like to keep following one sustainability content creater. I ask for some phone numbers before I left. It has so may adds that I was purchasing things that I didn’t know I needed it and I consider myself a minimalist. But is easy for me because my work has nothing to do with it. I never had twitter because it was so toxic.

[@donnaborda]

I quit facebook several years ago. Sometimes it’s a pain but mostly I love it. I quit twitter too.

[@T2s00]

Ive never had FB, Instagram, Twitter, etc. Glad i didnt because i see the brain rot it has caused.

[@anna9072]

I left Facebook proper several years ago. However, I still have friends and family who are on Facebook and Messenger is my primary way of staying in contact with them. I’d love to abandon Meta entirely, but I don’t want to lose contact with those who are still there. It’s frustrating.

[@mgabor6936]

And Zuck knows it very well. That"s why Fbook is still the 3rd most visited website in the world. Btw. I grew to hate it.

[@claritarejoice]

I don't use social media for day to day purposes but it's been so critical in emergencies. I work in the homelessness field and we provide messaging for CBOs for extreme weather and emergencies to save lives for housing unstable and other vulnerable people. CBOs are no longer using X this year but it's so recent that there isn't a replacement for FB for this weather season. It will come, but it's not here yet.

[@michaellammert8084]

Oh my how did we ever survive BEFORE social media?

[@catdragon2584]

I’ve been conflicted about deleting my meta accounts for some of the same reasons you listed. It’s through those apps that I’m still connected to old friends and teachers from as far back as elementary school, and I’ve also found a sense of belonging with disability rights groups too. In the early days, FB fostered friendships and community in a way that other apps today haven’t been able to (at least not in my experience). And I don’t know if there’s a better alternative for me to maintain those connections. If there is, I will absolutely jump on it.

[@hadjoudjmehdi7606]

I left social media since covid, i only have KZbin on my phone. And whatsapp only for messages, but will change it soon.

[@christines2787]

I walked away from Facebook in 2015. Yes, it did mean that i lost communication with others. And thats okay. If they didn't want to communicate in othet ways, then it wasnt that important of a relationship. A few years later I did create an account for contacting manufacturers. I think i last used it 4 years ago.

[@CarrieV9]

Never been on FB or IG. Philosophically opposed. Just call or text your family and friends, people.

[@martinlively]

Cory Doctorow came up with a word for the structural incentive for tech platforms to hook us, degrade the service value, and make it impossible for users to take their data and leave for another platform. He calls it enshittification.

[@mochamommyATX]

Instagram was an integral part of growing my side/hustle business. I am being cautious as well

[@UXtatic]

Can't means you can't press delete. You can. We opt not to due to the heavy inconvenience.

[@supertec2023]

I had two fake Facebook accounts and one fake Instagram account and I deleted one of the Facebook once many years ago and then after the election deleted everything to do with Facebook. And no I don't have Twitter either and I pretty much have all social media I have no interest in tik Tok either

[@robynnordstrom7799]

I use Instagram to follow independent artists and small businesses, and I’m not sure how to support them without it. I have signed up for newsletters, but not all of them have those.

[@callmebc]

I'm planning on leaving and most of my friends -- mostly people in the arts & sciences -- have already moved Facebook to the back of the closet in terms of social media usage. Even though it's kind of a pain to download all the personal stuff from Facebook, it feels kind of necessary, much the way dropping X/Twitter did.

[@hloa12]

The only thing I used fb for from 2020 until 24 was to message my nephew, i could do that a different way now. Last year, my cat was diagnosed with diabetes and there is a group that has literally saved his life. I trust them a million times more than my vet, who treats him like a dog. I can't leave fb. 😕

[@minecraftingmum5574]

They've been talking about banning tik tok for at least a decade now. Along with censoring and restricting access to other social media sites and the internet in general. There has been plenty of time to come up with an alternative.

[@KissMyFrog42]

I am in Australia, and my husband works for a non-profit, writing grant proposals and applying for government programs. For years now, one of the prerequisites for these programs is having a FB/IG/X presence, with a minimum number of followers. The really stupid part was that they *bought* the followers through a third-party app, and that was perfectly acceptable to the government department in question.

[@jay15951]

Fortunatly i never got invested in facebook and instagram so it was an easy decision to delete these accounts. But i Didn't delete my meta account because i so Pent alot of money on my oculus quest :(

[@mylesmacleod4306]

What about email? It is not the case that everyone needs to know what you had for breakfast. I was on Facebook for a few years, but I left it years ago. No regrets.

[@GaiatheSage]

quitting all things meta was incredibly cathartic especially after I found out about how facebook enable the genocide in Myanmar then Gaza. Yea best decision I’ve ever made. never joined TikTok either.

[@Christopher.W]

There’s absolutely alternatives to these Facebook groups. Tell your friends and family to start using Discord.

[@kathyamen7173]

Who owns discord and are they next?

[@kathyamen7173]

Trying to figure it out as well -I want out- I’ve put a lot of work into my business pages I don’t make money- just connections

[@jainthorne4136]

I’m finding BlueSky is great.

[@Ozarkhillbillyhippy]

I never touch my FB. I deleted the app but I can’t delete the account because it was under an old email. I can’t get rid of Instagram for this as well. I hated them early on. I should have cancelled when I could. I haven’t missed them.

[@Iquey]

A lot of international people in poorer countries unfortunately are relying on facebook too. I was looking up something from a dream I had, and found that there are schools in rural Nigeria that use facebook pages to communicate with the community about their small school.

[@fredamariebrown4727]

It's a CHOICE. EVERYONE gets to choose.

[@plansandprocrastination]

I left Facebook when I found out about Cambridge Analytica years ago. I have an account still, only to check Lost Dogs in my area if I see a dog running free. I used to run a group there, and enjoyed the community. I couldn't do it anymore after learning how corrupt he was. I copied all the images I had shared in that group, the documents, patterns, spreadsheets etc that were shared in our group. Every single thing I wanted was copied. It took quite a while, but I treated it like a full time job at the time. I have no regrets...in fact it saved me hours each day that I used to spend on that platform. I too left Twitter when he took over. Never been on TikTok, so I can't speak to that. I still have an Instagram account, but only go there maybe 6 times a year or so if I'm enticed by a podcaster etc...it will be no big deal to dump that one as well.

[@twitch1965]

I dropped facebook in 2015 and never looked back.. Only social media platform I'm on is KZbin and LinkedIn, but LikedIn is done as soon as I retire in 2-3 years, if not sooner. If I don;t have your number in my contacts or your email address in my mail application, I just don;t need to talk with you. Leaving social media was the healthiest think I have every done.

[@kellinomnom]

I heard this today: So sorry, Lady, that they are going to ban TikTok. That's going to hit all the earning creators so hard. If I were in your shoes I'd be so frustrated. Take care!

[@tokiface]

I've been enjoying the meta experience on all platforms less and less for awhile now. The newest bs was exactly what I needed to finally leave.

[@CP-rc9sw]

For far flung friends and family, I am resurrecting the art of the newsy birthday and holiday card.

[@SuperChaoticus]

Claiming Meta is the only way people can stay connected with family members is pure bullshit. I quit facebook in 2007 and have no problems keeping up with family or friends. Can nobody write emails any more? Have you lost the ability to call people on the phone? Send a text? Stop making excuses for laziness.

[@sassafrassakc]

A lot of folks I know are shifting group communication from facebook to Signal and opting out of social media. But that does take some organizing to get off the ground. I personally have deleted my twitter and insta accounts (and have been off facebook since the 2010s). A lot of my social activities have a big in person component, which helps me. The people who know me know that I use social media so infrequently that their best bet is to contact me directly if they want to get a hold of me. I've never been a big fan of social media and I'm a big advocate for making hyper local connections and organizing comminty action that way, but that's just how I operate. I'm also not a content creator, so I can see how this could be a really complex decision to make.