Forum menu
Deactivated my Facebook account tonight.
Haven’t had it installed on any devices for years but it remains a constant nigglesome default distraction so a prolonged break is long overdue.
Deactivated Twitter years ago, Snapchat shortly after.
Insta’s the final one remaining and that’s not been installed for ages either.
Looking forward to some regained free time from it all tbh,
Isn’t that what you have just done
+1
Yes deleted Facebook & Insta & Twitter accounts few years again - don’t bother deactivating them just get rid of them
Yup. Don't love the "me me me" way these things seem to go.
Use this place obviously and a few hobby forums for specifically hobby stuff. All of these have an anti face ache feel about them.
Don’t use WhatsApp, I think I used Instagram a couple of times when it first came out, never bothered since, I check out a few people on Twitter every now and then, and I haven’t use Fb for a few years now. I use the Messenger app, but only because some of my friends do, and it’s our way of keeping in touch.
I have neither the time nor the inclination to use social media other than this forum, I just don’t care enough.
I like the look of that unfollow everything, just need to work out how to use it! 😅
Missus deleted FB years ago, says its one of the best things shes done. Reduced mine hidden/deleted a fair few pages & people (especially the ones who've fallen down the conspiracy rabbit holes, CBA reading their shite) Mostly just bike and car stuff now. Whatsapp/Discord for sorting rides. Here/PH for forum cars and bike stuff.
In Aug 2018 I was away on hols for 3 weeks and used the time to cut loose and switch off from all social media. I remember getting home from the trip and switching FB back on… 30 mins later, lost in a world of mindless shite. And that was it, realised there and then how much of a time thief FB, Insta and Twitter were. Not regretted a single day since.
Deleted my FB account a few years back. It is like it never existed. Same for Instagram.
I keep twitter as it seems the only medium you can get a response from many companies on. DMs responded in a few minutes to a twitter query. Several weeks on their ‘contact us’ form has produced…nothing. All phone notifications for twitter are disabled and I have no idea where the app is. Probably in the ‘app library’.
And I keep LinkedIn. Nice to see that despite MS’s attempts that remains fairly moribund in terms of social media interaction.
My only social media is 3-4 forums, whether they count or not i don't know.
I don't have an FB/Insta/whatever account.
No Facebook, no Twitter, no Instagram, just the occasional STW. TBH, I prefer to be left alone, so why would I really want to see what narcissists are up to on a daily basis?
fix what’s causing of mould not the effect
It still endlessly suggests groups to join, doesn't deal with scammers yet warns or kicks me out of groups for reporting them, any public group is a bear pit of arguments and odd views, and I'm really starting to resent the data they keep on me for little return.
The issue I face is that all my family use WhatsApp.
WhatsApp started as just a communication tool for me, then the dreaded creep started. Had to leave some family groups in the end, I got some stick for a couple of days then they forgot about it and carried on with the cat photos without me.
Deactivated FB at the beginning of the pandemic. Nearly did it around the referendum, but held off. Main reason was that those friends and associates, family and others I follow, I followed them knowing that I view them for what I know them for. When they start sharing opinions that don't match the mental image I have of them, it taints things. So rather than try to disagree, or change their opinion to mine (!?!) I'd rather not know.
I have insta to post pics and look at stuff, and keep in touch with folk. find that once you get past the 'everyone else's life looks better than mine' thing, it works well. You can keep tabs what folk have been doing without the random opinions you never wanted to hear. It's a bit more arms length.
I have FB as my running club and a gravel group I'm in runs through it. I blocked all but my closest friends from it now so my news feed is pretty barren. I do get drawn into facebook watch I've got to give that up.
I deleted nearly everybody from Twitter except a few bands or events like such as festivals that I like so that I don't miss gigs or new releases. And Keeper of the peak of course
stopped FB a few years ago. Zero regrets.
Still use Instagram, but on the verge of sending that packing too.
I know social media does some good, but overall i see it has a negative impact on society. Many people faking happiness for likes, willy waving and general vein activities.
I only have FB and Twitter on my ipad, so that I don't check it regularly and it has made a huge difference (started this in lockdown 1 for my mental health as I was doom scrolling too much). FB I am v close to deleting, but there are a few biking groups on there that are useful. Twitter is a work only thing and I am fine with that.
Instagram i really enjoy, but I am very careful with who I follow - I know it is all rose tinted glasses but that is what I like - it shows me people on adventures away from the dross of covid/politics etc and has been an huge inspiration for doing more woman-led activities.
Still spend too much time on it - but am trying to read more books! Ironically via the Adventure Ink book club, that I discovered in Instagram!
Find it a Catch 22, i really don't like what FB has become, one long advert almost, but on flip side, easy way to communicate with family elsewhere in UK and abroad, many of the events and bikepacking routes i have found via FB and i belong to very good groups for specific interests such as diabetes forums for my daughter, modding Technics turntables etc, and i have met some great people via rides organised in groups on there etc, plus in doing up my house, some great groups to ask plumbing, heating, electrical questions to.
Key for me is to say to myself, i will check it once a day for 15 mins and that is it, no scrolling for the sake of it. Instagram is just pretty pics without much info, gives me a few good ideas for woodworking and carpentry, and i find Twitter good for actual news away from mainstream media if you follow right people, but very easy to just follow people with same views as you and it becomes an echo chamber..
Binned FB in 2019. Haven't missed it one bit. MrsCD still has it and moans constantly about the crap on it. If it brings no pleasure to your life then get rid.
It's coming close. It hasn't been interesting or rewarding for me for years.
I don't know the cause, but a few years ago FB was for seeing pics of old school friends and that they're up to now, or look, Dave's got a new Cat, but now it's just filtered selfies and bragging.
Insta was good for a bit, I figured that if you took the time to take a picture of something then at least you've got something to share, but 90% of it these days is more selfies and bragging. #Blassed bullshit.
I still enjoy twitter, it's simplicity means you can keep it better tailored to what you actually want and, people tend to be more real on that platform. I met with a couple of guys I know via twitter for a bit of a pre-xmas ride yesterday, it was a great day out.
You install the browser extension.
Go to facebook.com, click run in the extension, go for a cup of tea and while you're away it moves the mouse pointer around on the screen for you, unfollowing everything.
That David Baddiel documentary was fascinating. Even as someone who can take or leave Facebook and Twitter (I have accounts, but only check them once or twice a week max), there was some really interesting stuff. Worth catching on iPlayer if social media causes you any stress.
You install the browser extension.
Go to <span class="skimlinks-unlinked">facebook.com</span>, click run in the extension, go for a cup of tea and while you’re away it moves the mouse pointer around on the screen for you, unfollowing everything.
Yeah. Nah.
can’t be that hard to do manually without the massive security risk…
No-one posting here can say that they have.
I've pretty much given up on FB though.
Ignore it like the plague - unless you count Strava I suppose. I've posted on FB maybe twice in the past 2 or 3 years, I use it to flog stuff I don't need and as to follow a couple of local bike groups I ride with...even then I've blocked half the members with their 'I smashed it' garbage. Bore off...no one cares. I concluded long ago its unhealthy narcissistic sh1te and not at all healthy.
Instagram fine for following some pro mtbers and roadies.
No-one posting here can say that they have
There are big differences between the main social media sites/apps and this one - for example - this isn't a popularity contest (for likes, friends, groups etc) and isn't owned by a big corporation prepared to sell the data. There's social media and there are chat forums.
But I'm sure you knew that.
but now it’s just filtered selfies and bragging.
Ah. Fake fun.
The rise of the "influencer".
Celebrity "culture".
Causation or correlation, or possibly both.
Don't mention "cancel culture".
Quite a toxic mix.
but now it’s just filtered selfies and bragging.
Can't say I see any of that.
This morning I discovered a FB group for old Photos of Swaledale and Arkengarthdale so spent 20 mins in bed wandering round that. Our family has holidayed there since the 50s and we've had a cottage in Muker since the 80s. MIL was brought up in Arkengarthdale, hence really enjoyed seeing all the old photos, which I've now shared with various family members who aren't on FB.
For me personally, the great thing about Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc is that they make it so much easier to let other people know how much I don't use social media.
When I was younger you had to write a strongly worded letter to the newspaper if you wanted to let the world know you'd supposedly stopped writing letters to the newspaper.
I’m really starting to resent the data they keep on me for little return.
I do find that odd. Why do people give websites genuine info?
On most websites that I have to log in to my first name is Andy, my surname is H, my date of birth is 01/01/00, my address is my old student house from twenty years just because I can remember the postcode, if they don't need the info they aren't getting it.
.
My car insurers for example can have my real date of birth because they need that but they don't need my phone number, they can have 01234 567890, same as everyone else.
If people want to hack of any of these sites good luck to them, most of what's out there about me is gibberish.
There’s social media and there are chat forums.
But I’m sure you knew that.
You keep telling yourself that.
Social media is a tool, if you're seeing stuff you don't like then you're using it wrong.
Lot's of people using it for powers of good.
That FBPurity extension that was mentioned earlier is great,thanks for that. It's made fb in a browser much nicer. I was a little bit worried about blocking stuff that I had kept to prevent myself being in a bubble, but as long as I remember to look at that stuff elsewhere I can clean up fb and only see my pals and the groups I'm in. It's ok
I virtually never use Facebook. It's years since I made a post. My situation is similar with Twitter. I only use it to occasionally message organisations for various things.
I'm more active on LinkedIn which is useful for job hunting. Still, it's not a space I enjoy being full of boasters, virtual signallers and chancers trying to invent themselves as 'brands' and gurus.
Generally, I find social media a shallow place that encourages narcissism and hot-temped and ill-thought our responses. Nothing is as noisy as opinion these days.
Social media is a tool, if you’re seeing stuff you don’t like then you’re using it wrong.
Sure, the algorithm is fine is you're looking at steam trains and it offers you a traction engines appreciation group as something you might like, . But FB will also encourage the Incel morons and right wingers and feed them stuff they might also like as well and you know that they are modifying their pages so that they only see things they want, which is a dangerous distortion of "reality". as far as FB are concerned those two examples are the algorithm doing what it's supposed to
You keep telling yourself that.
Oh wow, I’m hooked into a mire out of my control and understanding 😱
Oh wow, I’m hooked into a mire out of my control and understanding 😱
No, just product used to generate advertising revenue for the owner - whether it's here or Facebook. But you knew that.
But FB will also encourage
just like every other thing ever, the Penguin book I've just finished dedicated the entire last page to recommendations for similar, it didn't say oh you enjoyed reading Peter Pan to your kid, why not try a political thriller, a paper on ancient Greek and a pastel coloured book about a single mother who moves back to her home town to open a trinket shop, the landlord is handsome but a bit of a nob, however her straight talking 4 year old daughter has a transformative effect on him and she starts to wonder, could he be the one?
PS, knives kill so I've not used one since 1976 & don't get me started on cars, I really don't understand them, just money grabbing death machines, never used one, never will...
just product used to generate advertising revenue for the owner – whether it’s here or Facebook
So the only difference I mentioned was advertising yeah? Weird
So the only difference I mentioned was advertising yeah? Weird
Still arguing on social media, I see.
I have mine pared down so I'm only connected with people I've strong links or see regularly anyway. Found it just weird to have weekly updates on people who I'd not seen in years. Then muted the ones who post too much. Still see the odd post from idiot friends of friends if they were tagged or something, nonsense about sunglasses sales. "Brands" can do one.
Stopped posting many years ago. I don't have multiple fronts as a person, but I felt I couldn't post anything which someone or the other would dislike or be concerned about (not that they ever mentioned), or someone else wouldn't want something visible by certain people. Mum would be concerned about "you're not riding your bike down that are you", enviro-conscious friends would tutt at car antics, don't want to be putting my new thing or latest trip in the face of others less fortunate, family would be mortified at friends banter (back in the day), and so on.
Most annoying thing about social media for me without them is that various clubs, organizations and companies are using only Facebook and Instagram for posting information and you can't really read things properly if you don't have an account. E.g. one trail center nearby uses only FB and IG to inform about opening times and route conditions.
Of course this removes need to have their own web pages but since even 'open' FB pages are now showing quite limited content it is not really helping us without accounts.
just like every other thing ever, the Penguin book I’ve just finished dedicated the entire last page to recommendations for similar,
I'm pretty sure you are actually well aware that reading a recommendation for The Dark is Rising on the inside back cover of Harry Potter is just a teeny tiny by different from the FB algorithm noticing you read posts about Swastikas and then recommending a group shooting the breeze about Eugenics.