I quit Facebook over 8 years ago and quit Instagram (the last app I was on) over 8 months ago. I do not miss social media at all. I do not miss the misinformation and relentless advertising. I do not miss the virtual "friends" that I no longer hear from since the people I am truly friends with are all in my life in a real way - in the face-to-face world. It is strange when you realize that a lot of people spend their days with their bodies in the material world, but their minds living somewhere else out there in the ether.
Never, not for a moment, have I regretted ditching Facebook & Instagram. In fact, I moved to an entirely new state and have made tons of great, meaningful friendships all without any social media accounts.
Very similar experience. I moved to a far away state a decade ago had falsely convinced myself that a few local Facebook groups I joined here were a "lifeline." Nope. Now that I'm off Facebook I know better. My lifelines are the friends and neighbors I've met in real life and I don't need Facebook for those relationships.
Thanks for links to like-minded organizations! Moving to a new state last year where every family-oriented event seems to originate on FB was a wild transition, but like RJ's comment, it's made me lean a lot harder into all the IRL friends I've made here.
Sort of related -- all our kids' cousins live in other countries, and we're planning to go in on Tin Can phones when they're a little older. For now, old school pen pal style letters in the mail!!!
The chatbot sexting thing was insane when Reuters uncovered it. What really got me was the chart where execs literally signed off on those interaction policies, felt like reading a dystopian novel except its real. I deleeted insta maybe 6 months back and thought I'd miss keeping up with old college friends but honestly the "connections" were so surface level. The part about manufactured intimacy = engagement is spot on tho.
I agree, it's so insane that Meta's Chief Ethicist approved chatbots sexting children, the news broke about it, and yet billions of people continue to use these platforms. If that scandal didn't get most parents to walk away, I sometimes wonder if anything will.
Thank you. As a child and adolescent psychologist, the pain kids experience as their parents disappear to social media is real and, if done over and over, has lasting consequences. These platforms achieve this result without parents being consciously aware. Making the conscious decision to remove Facebook/Instagram from your life can help you be the parent you want to be.
I quit Facebook over 8 years ago and quit Instagram (the last app I was on) over 8 months ago. I do not miss social media at all. I do not miss the misinformation and relentless advertising. I do not miss the virtual "friends" that I no longer hear from since the people I am truly friends with are all in my life in a real way - in the face-to-face world. It is strange when you realize that a lot of people spend their days with their bodies in the material world, but their minds living somewhere else out there in the ether.
Couldn't agree more!
Never, not for a moment, have I regretted ditching Facebook & Instagram. In fact, I moved to an entirely new state and have made tons of great, meaningful friendships all without any social media accounts.
Very similar experience. I moved to a far away state a decade ago had falsely convinced myself that a few local Facebook groups I joined here were a "lifeline." Nope. Now that I'm off Facebook I know better. My lifelines are the friends and neighbors I've met in real life and I don't need Facebook for those relationships.
Thanks for links to like-minded organizations! Moving to a new state last year where every family-oriented event seems to originate on FB was a wild transition, but like RJ's comment, it's made me lean a lot harder into all the IRL friends I've made here.
Sort of related -- all our kids' cousins live in other countries, and we're planning to go in on Tin Can phones when they're a little older. For now, old school pen pal style letters in the mail!!!
The chatbot sexting thing was insane when Reuters uncovered it. What really got me was the chart where execs literally signed off on those interaction policies, felt like reading a dystopian novel except its real. I deleeted insta maybe 6 months back and thought I'd miss keeping up with old college friends but honestly the "connections" were so surface level. The part about manufactured intimacy = engagement is spot on tho.
I agree, it's so insane that Meta's Chief Ethicist approved chatbots sexting children, the news broke about it, and yet billions of people continue to use these platforms. If that scandal didn't get most parents to walk away, I sometimes wonder if anything will.
Thank you. As a child and adolescent psychologist, the pain kids experience as their parents disappear to social media is real and, if done over and over, has lasting consequences. These platforms achieve this result without parents being consciously aware. Making the conscious decision to remove Facebook/Instagram from your life can help you be the parent you want to be.