I deleted my Facebook account…..again….
Another Breakup
Full disclosure, I’ve had Facebook accounts off and on since 2009. It’s a love/hate relationship. We’re on again, off again. I wanted to say it’s like a terrible girlfriend/boyfriend you just can’t leave, but it’s more like an addiction you struggle to kick.
I’ve used up all of my excuses for staying on FB: keeping up to date with friends, posting cool things happening in my life, staying informed about local events, etc. However, I’m just sick and tired of it. Like a nasty relationship, I feel used; by marketers and businesses, algorithms, “friends” I never see in real life, the left and the right, and now AI articles that would be laughable if it weren’t for the hundreds of comments by gullible readers. (Pro Tip: Simply Google phrases from articles you find. If they show a result anywhere, from any trusted or even semi-trusted news source, it may be true. However, if the results are mostly links back to Facebook, it’s AI. ) Here’s One Example I found recently relating to a story about Ryan Day (Buckeyes Football Coach) and Charlie Kirk. Trust me, it’s out of control and if you haven’t seen it, you’ve probably been fooled. Please tell me you didn’t comment though, right… Need another? How about the big news the Adam Sandler is going to be on Turning Point’s alternative Halftime Show at the Super Bowl. BTW, it’s not just Facebook with these fake, AI news posts. It’s all clickbait designed to show you ads.
I firmly believe it’s less work to sign for a home loan than it is to delete your Facebook account. Once you find the secret boxes to click and agree to the terms and conditions, they’ll delete your account…in 30 days. Why? Well, because you may have made that choice accidentally and they’re looking out for you, right. It takes a lot of work to digitally shred all of your fantastic pictures. Your friends will miss you. Blah, blah, blah.
You Are Valuable – Financially
The real reason? You are valuable…financially. If everyone does what you are thinking of doing, who would see the ads? Why would marketers pay big money to put their products and ideas on Facebook if there’s no one to see them!? If you don’t think this is why 30 days is mandatory consider this fact. In a dated study (2018) an estimated 196.3 million users deleted their Facebook account. The estimated revenue loss from this? $1.4 Billion dollars. These numbers are child’s play compared to more up to date numbers for 2023-2024.
But, you may be tempted to argue, I don’t click on ads or buy things on Facebook. While this may be true, if you see ads, Facebook makes money. Businesses pay big money just to show you their ads. It’s the reason that if you search for something on Google, you see an ad for it almost immediately on Facebook or Instagram. It’s designed that way. Everything works together to sell your data in an attempt to sell you products.
So yeah, the mandatory 30 day wait period is financially driven and with the addictive quality of most social media sites, Meta (Facebook and Instagram Parent Company) is betting that you’ll be back. Like that nasty person you dated and still don’t know why, Facebook bats it’s eyes, smiles, brushes back her hair, and whispers each morning (because she knows your routine), “miss me yet.”
Okay, that may be an exaggeration but not much. I’m fully bracing myself for the email “reminders” that my account is scheduled for deletion but that I can log in anytime and stop the break up.
Spiritual and Emotional Health
My other reason for deleting Facebook comes from something I read about modesty and vanity in the latest issue of Sword & Spade:
…But the fact that we are notified of every affirmation for what we show reveals that the algorithm-alchemists know us better than we know ourselves, because they know that the reason we posted it was not self-gift, but a desire and expectation of praise…
…There seems to be some correlation that the more we are known online, the less we feel known in general. And, Aquinas says vainglory can happen when we present “something false,” which we know the Internet runs on, or we “glory in a good that easily passes away,” and frivolous and temporary things are the coal that must be shoveled into the Internet to run…
I love you all but I want real-life hugs not pixelated hearts. I want conversations not comments, handshakes rather than a thumbs-up, and for you to share what’s on your heart not a repost of a cute kid or delicious cupcake.
I also no longer want to feel “liked” or “loved” based on the number of responses I get. I admit, I get depressed when images I snap get tons of likes but the words I pour out from my heart get ignored. I don’t blame you. Our attention span is growing smaller. We read less. Images are easy – worth a thousand words or something like that. Yet, when the images are carefully curated and digitally altered, you aren’t seeing me. You are seeing the me I want you to see. You see the picture perfect world that hides my pain and suffering and neither of us are better for it. I see the images of your wonderful trips but know nothing of your true journey towards eternity.
Okay, well, this post went on longer than I intended but I can’t say these things with a picture and a post. In short, I’m doing this for my spiritual and emotional health. Anyway, I’m no longer on Facebook, pray that I can withstand the siren call to come back. If you are considering joining me in this jump back into real life, here’s how to start the account deletion process. If you are staying on, simply keep all the above in mind and pray before liking, posting, commenting, and sharing.
Jumping ship? Staying on? Let me know your reasons in the comments. Thanks for reading, and don’t forget to Like, Follow, and Subscribe to my Humility…haha
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James M. Hahn, Author 