Giving Up the Ol’ Facebook
Posted by Sabre3001@reddit | Xennials | View on Reddit | 261 comments
I have been on the outs will most social media for over a decade, but the recent dive into the artificial intelligence hellscape have made me want to give it up for good.
Problem is, I work by myself almost two thousand miles from where I grew up. Besides my wife I don’t really have a lot of close friends given the nature of my work.
If I give up social media, I think most of the people back home will just drift away and I won’t hear from them again.
Anyone else in this boat? We are a weird generation on the cusp of social media and the “old ways” of doing things.
Anjapayge@reddit
I deleted off all friends on Facebook and use it for a few groups and the events section. I also keep up with my kid’s school since that is how the school relays info. I noticed there are some older family members that will comment on posts only but never call or text. It’s weird to me. I noticed this with my dad - he could make a comment but would never call me to see what was up. Now no one knows what I am up to unless I text or they text.
Dakkin4@reddit
I gave up the Facebook about 5 years ago and haven’t looked back. I don’t miss it. I do no other social media, only Reddit.
Self-Translator@reddit
Never bought into the social media stuff. Maybe I missed out. Don't know. Could have been famous on it maybe. I just have this shitty login and nuke my reddit when it gets too negative for me.
thenumbersthenumbers@reddit
Same and have never once missed it even for a second. This is the way.
BigDuckEnergy33@reddit
I’ve never missed FB itself, or the people.
But living in a fairly small town, FB marketplace is almost a necessity for selling things.
I have been considering starting up an account again purely for marketplace.
ParallelPlayArts@reddit
I use Craigslist and BuyNothing. It's not as heavily used it works.
NewPhoneWhoDys@reddit
Craigslist deserves a comeback.
nochumplovesucka__@reddit
I have a "fakebook" account just for marketplace. Completely made up name and no posts or pics. I keep the app off my phone and just log in on a browser if I need to look for something on Marketplace.
doncheche@reddit
A lot of sellers won't do business with accounts like this.
chuck-lechuck@reddit
This is exactly what sent me back to Facebook. Marketplace has replaced every other method of selling and buying 2nd hand stuff in my area.
Creepy/annoying: Facebook keeps putting my old account (that I deleted completely years ago) at the front of the “people you may know” list. No photo on it, just a grey box with my name that has 6 friends in common…
agent_uno@reddit
I tried to create a new account about 6mo ago just for marketplace and after I posted two things it wouldn’t let me list anything more until I started having interactions with people socially. I’m not sure if I misinterpreted it or not, but I noped right the F back off as quickly as I could. Has anyone else experienced this?
Maybe I’ll try it again, because I do have stuff I’d like to sell, but if that’s a requirement in order to list things then I’ll just give them away. Fuck fb.
LH99@reddit
It works! I deleted my original Facebook account and made a fresh one, locked it down so no one can find me, and use it exclusively for marketplace and a handful of hobby related pages I want to follow.
Dakkin4@reddit
My wife still has hers, specifically for this reason.
_buffy_summers@reddit
You could see if you have a flea market near you?
22nd_century@reddit
At least that amount of time for me too. Definitely don't miss it.
I have a ton of Whatsapp groups which works well for me. I don't need to put myself out there for the world.
moseriv5@reddit
Same. Just use Reddit and LinkedIn. Everything become way to political and toxic since about 2018 and my mental health has never been better.
Endobong@reddit
Lmao you don't think Reddit is too political?
stilettopanda@reddit
Reddit is easy to customize to the point that you rarely see political posts though.
detourne@reddit
Or LinkedIn? The fake corpo boot-licking bullshit on that site guaranteed that it was one of the first SMS I got rid of.
austinmiles@reddit
I remember that I stopped logging in the day Roger stone was pardoned. The social component has been lost of me at that point and I didn’t need to become irritated by arguing politics with extended family.
It wasn’t that hard but I miss the short lived good old days.
karebearjedi@reddit
I quit all things meta after my cat passed away. I didn't call anyone, didn't text anyone, had my location turned off, and not 12 hours after leaving the vet, i was getting flooded with reels of people finding their dead cat because i was stupid enough to try and doomscroll to distract myself.
karebearjedi@reddit
I don't miss anything tied to Meta or Musk. The people that wanted to keep in touch with me had enough care to ask how to contact me directly. The ones that didn't... well, let's just say I'm better off without the background noise.
Blackbird136@reddit
12 years ago for me. Don’t think I could recall a password or pass verification if I tried.
I do wish I’d saved some photos off of it before I rage quit, but it’s not worth trying to get back in.
nohombrenombre@reddit
Same! I’ve been off Facebook since 2012, and IG since 2021ish. It feels so good. When I run into people I have genuine reactions of surprise or interest because everything between us is unshared.
There are people who still work to know me and vice versa, but most people genuinely never really cared in the first place. And that’s ok.
Being uninformed or unconnected is well worth the inconvenience in my opinion
Tricky-Ladder-870@reddit
This is exactly what I tell everyone. I have to actually ask questions and interact with people to find out what’s going on and vice verse. Instead of running into someone and already knowing every detail of their life already.
I’m also a private person, so was excited to have discovered Reddit.
Adventurous_Pin_344@reddit
Giving up Facebook was one of the most freeing experiences. And I originally joined back in 2005 given that I went to one of the first four schools, so I'd been on there for far too long.
MiniTab@reddit
Same here. I did this when I was living halfway around the world in Asia, so I get where OP is coming from. But sifting through the disinformation and unhinged posts just wasn’t worth it.
I maintained communications with family in more direct ways, like WhatsApp (now I use signal) and FaceTime.
I don’t miss it at all. In fact I think social media is the absolute worst thing to have ever happened to the US and probably the entire world.
bazinga675@reddit
Couldn’t have said it better myself
redneckcommando@reddit
Also about 5 years as well. Other than reddit I have no other social media.
Derrick_Mur@reddit
Same. Covid-19 and the 2020 election were the straws that broke the camel’s back for me. It had completely stopped being fun a couple years before that, but it finally clicked then that I was better off without a Facebook account
Roachy1818@reddit
Same. During the pandemic it was getting hard to still want to keep my page, and then the George Floyd killing happened and it was an election year, making it harder and harder to keep my mental health in a good place. So, I noped out in early 2020 and have not looked back. I reached out to the people I actually wanted to stay in contact with and got their numbers if I didn’t have them. We stay in contact via text messages.
_meestir_@reddit
5 years FB clean too. Shifted to Instagram with about 80 percent less contacts, only to be weening away from that hell hole too.
I have group texts that are pretty active with small circles of friends. I think this is the way.
Calbebes@reddit
We got rid of Facebook and Instagram about 4 years ago and haven’t looked back. It’s so freeing!
glavent@reddit
I gave up facebook after the FarmVille era
Bellabird42@reddit
Ha! I used to work for the man that ran those farms
DirtRight9309@reddit
i do instagram to keep up with some people, bands, art etc but mostly reddit. i prefer y’all to people i went to high school with and old coworkers
SuperDoubleDecker@reddit
Now if only I could get my reddit time down lol.
sleepy_potatoe_@reddit
Same here and only Reddit for me.
RoxyLA95@reddit
It was not difficult at all to delete Facebook.
tigerlilie43@reddit
🙋♀️ same!
M_Me_Meteo@reddit
The people on your Facebook friends list are not your friends. They are people who have allowed a website to stand in the place of actual friendship. If they fade away it's because neither of you are putting in effort to maintain the relationship.
It's a two way street, takes two to tango. You're not giving up on your friends, you're giving up on Facebook. It's up to you and your friends to decide what that means.
smcg_az@reddit
I got rid of Facebook nearly ten years ago without any regret.
From what I see, it's become a boomer retirement community with a lot of MAGA posts.
Futbalislyfe@reddit
I gave up Facebook a year ago. I don’t miss it at all. Now I need to give up Reddit.
R0botDreamz@reddit
I treat facebook like contacts list. I am only friends with close friends and family. I also use it for groups.. like sports and pop culture. There are a few xennial groups I am a part of. I honestly don't understand why Facebook stresses people out.
Calm-Background2247@reddit
I got rid of Facebook this year after years of getting caught up in political arguments with strangers and seeing people who I grew up with turning into assholes.
Facebook had its moment, but social media has ruined our society. I don't know how we get it back.
Phoniceau@reddit
I live literally halfway around the world from where I grew up. Gave up FB and told individual friends that we could be in touch via WhatsApp, so every few months I text with someone, not the same as seeing pics etc, but it’s nice to be in direct contact.
ripper4444@reddit
Sadly marketplace is the greatest free p2p sales tool ever. I would only completely leave Facebook if that feature became pay to play, completely unusable, or removed all together.
Western-Corner-431@reddit
The most disingenuous excuse for fuckfacebook is “It’s the ONLY way I can keep in touch with my FAMMMMILLLYYY”
SuzieKym@reddit
I'm like you. I loathe it more and more, 95% of what I see there is not even people or pages I follow, I spend maybe 5 minutes a day on it, but it's the last tenuous thread attaching me to a few people I used to love a lot, and I haven't been able to sever the link so far...
Cameront9@reddit
Most of the people I care about are also on BlueSky. If they want to find me they know where. I gave up Facebook months ago and haven’t looked back.
therealmudslinger@reddit
I feel your pain, but you won't miss it.
You'll add quantity and quality to your life.
nyXhcinPDX@reddit
I gave up Facebook in ‘19 and I haven’t looked back since. It does suck that nobody remembers my birthday anymore, but I think that’s just what Facebook created 😂😂
concreteghost@reddit
Give up all social media. But this anon, of course ;)
karebearjedi@reddit
If they're only responding to reposts or throwing random one liners, and never talking to you directly, you're not losing anyone worth keeping.
JudgeJuryEx78@reddit
I'm still on Facebook, but it's mostly to occasional let people know I'm still alive.
Which is ironic, because every time I bother to get on Facebook, I immediately learn that someone else has died.
tortical@reddit
I still have FB. I just whittled my friend list down considerably. I have family scattered all over the globe, and it makes sharing photos or new easier.
Former-Persimmon-384@reddit
I gave up Facebook and Instagram a year ago. I live in a different country from where I grew up. I’m 40 now and haven’t lived in my hometown since I was 20. I lived in another city (Toronto) for 15 years before moving out of the country, and a couple other cities for a year or two here and there.
When I really looked at my friends, there were only like 5 hometown friends and 5 Toronto friends thatnk really talked to. The rest were just comments and loved stories here and there.
So now I just have a hometown girls’ group chat on Signal and a couple Toronto group chats on Signal. Plus a few standalone buds across Canada that I just text.
I haven’t really missed it. Once in a while I’ll think about someone and be like “oh maybe I should have gotten their number before I deleted everything!” But it’s fleeting and then I realize the good times we had together were limited to that bar we both worked at in our twenties or that friend group I fell out of touch with one of the times I moved. There isn’t much deeper there to miss
strong-4@reddit
I have not logged on FB since over 5 yrs. And many connections were already lost long before that. Just seeing their posts mean nothing to me. And anyways now there are more shit posts on FB than actual posts to know happenings in other persons life.
Interesting_Case6737@reddit
You are correct. Out of sight, out of mind.
GreenBeardTheCanuck@reddit
Dumping Facebook was part of my New Years resolution. 4 months Zuckerberg free and no regrets.
petertompolicy@reddit
I've started making WhatsApp groups, way better than FB.
jailasauraa@reddit
I started out deactivating my account for my b-day around a decade ago, then about 5/6years ago(maybe more, I honestly don't remember) I just stopped reactivating it... besides pulling old pictures or random other stuff once it's gone or deactivated, signing back on there is gonna feel like a chore. One GOOD thing about it is that you will still have access to Messenger, and honestly if you're trying to shut out certs things, that's all you will need.
throwedaway4theday@reddit
Private chat groups with your buds, bro. No need for the Satan hellscape of social media to keep in touch with your support network
bungy2323@reddit
I’ve never had a FB account. 50 years old and never heard once felt I was missing anything.
hind3rm3@reddit
Haven’t used fbook in 10 years. Anyone I want to be in contact with has my phone number.
the_well_read_neck_@reddit
They just implemented a "friends" tab, and you only see posts by your friends. No groups, no ads, and no random posts. It's made it more tolerable for me.
cosettemeetsmarius@reddit
Quit all of Meta (except WhatsApp) after the election. Zuckerberg won’t hold me hostage anymore. I wasted too much of my time and money… and he’s done enough damage. If anyone wants to reach me, they can, and I them. I don’t miss it.
EatCookysPlayComputa@reddit
I am in exactly the same boat and it's very frustrating
DirtyPuppyToucher@reddit
I moved across the opposite side of the country from where I grew up. I know nobody here. Its my husband and I, no kids. Social media was a great way to stay connected, but then everyone ran into that "Share all the Memes and videos" only phase and nothing of themselves anymore. I left. Quite a few people faded into the back. I think I talk to maybe 4 people from back home now.
Giving up on Social Media really screwed with being able to meet people too. I work in office once a month. I'm not religious and not a bar fly. Everyone posts local gatherings and events on social media. I've tried several other apps meant for events and there's nothing really around here.
My plan had been to just have an account for events, but I cant get back on Facebook and after 10 attempts, thats more effort than I want to make for that platform. Blah... Mini vent - sorry not sorry.
Wendyland78@reddit
I like Facebook for invites to things and certain groups. There’s an over 40 ladies group in my area that’s a lot of fun. I don’t have many friends so it’s nice to get out and meet people.
hemroidclown6969@reddit
I'm only on Facebook for my mom. And marketplace is kinda fun
dotBombAU@reddit
Hey there,
I'm a security guy and I'm 100% with you for the reasons you've expressed. I've always limited my data on that platform. However, I recently took the plunge and canned it for good.
Ive tried my best to get friends to mive over to signal however there are mixed results.
My advice is, just do it. Friends may drift, but it just means you need to kerp in touch the old school way. Use alternative messaging services like Signal.
You'll care less about it each day.
Best, Pete
Try2getby2020@reddit
Let’s be real if Facebook is the only thread holding your friendship together then it’s not a a real friendship.
Old_Eagle_1055@reddit
I gave up FB and IG in 202 right before Covid popped off. I knew it was all about to be a mess.
Fast_Enthusiasm8728@reddit
I don't have it or Instagram anymore. It's hard only because I miss seeing the pictures and my mom uses FB messenger instead of texting (even though I bought her a smartphone, she won't activate it). I just text my friends once a week and send pics too. It feels more connected this way.
Dream-Ambassador@reddit
Are you actually having meaningful relationships with the people you are trying to hold on to 2000 miles away? Or do you just follow them on social media?
If you are actually having meaningful relationships with them you can continue those relationships on text or signal. If you are just following, you are not having meanintgful relationships with them and you would probably be better of spending your time meeting new folks in your new town instead of following people you barely know (in reality) on social media, where they are basically just showing you what they want you to see.
sdouble@reddit
Ai has definitely ruined social media beyond what mess it already was with your directed rabbit holing algorithms. Half the shit posted is fake, the other half is staged, if you scroll on fb, you see more sponsored and suggested posts than your friends. Then you’ll finally see something from a friend that was posted a week ago. Why didn’t I see that a week ago instead of all the suggested posts? I suggest you show me my friends’ posts, that’s why I’m here.
Clams_N_Scallops@reddit
I gave it up in 2016 after the Cambridge Analytica scandal. I still keep in touch with all my old friends via text and emails. There's no good reason to continue using it.
lifeat24fps@reddit
Still good for me keeping up with family and friends. I killed my Twitter account though. It’s nothing but outrage machine. I don’t need that in my life.
Greycatsrule22@reddit
I’m struggling with wanting to quit FB for the same reasons. I also like documenting certain events. I only update fb 3 times a year, but I still like that I have that record of events.
Thatonegirl_79@reddit
The only reason I still have Facebook is strictly for the marketplace. Are there better options to sell locally on these days? Nextdoor was a geriatric nightmare.
Yabbz81@reddit
I quit Facebook in 2018 and it was the best thing i did.
heresmytwopence@reddit
I’ve had to hold on to Facebook to promote my cottage food business. It’s an unfortunate reality in a rural area where most of your potential audience is behind the times. I don’t use it for anything else.
Chantilly_Rosette@reddit
Same, I only use it for my small business now.
ThisNameIsTakenTwo@reddit
I’ve kept it, but my friends list has changed. I didn’t use it for many years, only for goose related things. With recent years flooding I thought it may be a good tool to have for local connections in times of emergency, so I hopped back on and added people who I actually know and people who are local. I don’t chat, I don’t socialize, occasionally I’ll like or love a post, but otherwise I don’t use it much and nothing like I used to 10+ years ago.
Nebelle1308@reddit
Goose related things? Tell me more!
djdiphenhydramine@reddit
I gave up Facebook late last summer, I believe. Maybe early fall. I had only around 50 friends, and I made a big deal about leaving, because I had been friends with some of these folks for the better part of twenty years, and I wanted everyone to know I valued their friendships a whole lot. Traded numbers, sent links to our other social media accounts, and then closed down my account and deleted the app.
And I haven't heard from most of them, barring one or two, since. Most of them won't even respond to texts. It feels kinda like they were all work friends, or an ex you promise you'll stay in touch with.
Getting rid of Facebook was totally worth it; what a piece of shit app. But losing those friends because people can't just move on from a shitty app really sucks.
NoChipmunk8780@reddit
I speak from experience; leaving Facebook is NOT going to be easy. You'll keep wanting to check your phone, constantly wondering "what if?", like a nagging feeling in the back of your mind. Do. Not. Give. In. I cannot emphasize that enough. The first few days are going to be the hardest. After a week, you'll find it a bit easier. After a month, you won't miss it. Within a year, you'll wonder why you ever bothered with it. Stay strong. Deactivate your account, uninstall it from your phone, and knuckle down on getting away from the toxicity of it.
wanderboijoy@reddit
I only have this and Snap
Tamases@reddit
Deleted Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok, Twitter, LinkedIn..everything except Reddit.
Don't miss any of them at all.
raisedbytelevisions@reddit
Call your friends, text them, start a wordle group text
FreddyMercuryFazbear@reddit
Facebook is rather pointless now anyway. Nothing but endless ads.
GladosPrime@reddit
I ditched facebook. I am less stressed. Real friends have your phone number already.
shinobi-dragonninja@reddit
I never had the facebook and I’m think I have been much happier these past 20 years without it
(i started adding “the” to everything and it drives my kids crazy. I love doing it. I first saw it in the movie bloodsport where frank does the dim mack (death touch) and his guide says “son of the bitch” and since then I add it unnecessarily for fun)
chargetothefrostline@reddit
The Blood Sport!
TheDaddyShip@reddit
And they know not to call it. 😜
Hootinger@reddit
Yep. I would be at an event, etc and think "Oh man, I have to post this on facebook and make a fun title."
I wasnt able to enjoy things because everything revolved around social media.
GladosPrime@reddit
Ya it's like Pokemon Go, you can't just be at a place and check on the Legendary Raid Boss. Gotta turn it off and unclutter the mind😁
Away_Worldliness4472@reddit
Same here
mountednoble99@reddit
This is why I had trouble giving it up. I lived in China for most of my thirties and my family and friends were back in California. I use it to keep up with them. I don’t spend too much time on there now and try to always stay on the “friends” tab (when I remember).
duckbutter888@reddit
I quit FB a while back and deleted my account. I just have a empty shell account to use for MarketPlace.
jp7755qod@reddit
I keep it active to keep in touch with a few distant relatives and old friends. People move, change phone numbers, etc… so it’s handy for that. But other than that, I can go weeks without being on it.
three-sense@reddit
Same. I have friends and family in different states/countries and I update every month or so with a photo or vacation news or whatever. No clicking on anything not related to my contact list, it works okay for that.
willeminadafriend@reddit
This is the approach that I take as well. Although there are times when I do get sucked into looking at it for longer than feels good, I can take a step back again quite quickly.
Cause I did delete my first account and unlike many people who seem to have no regrets I found it to be a bit of a pain in the butt. I ended up starting another one and finding contacts again.
The main thing we're keeping in contact with distant family and friends, accessing events and groups, finding out about things that are going on in the local area, easily connecting with new people.
three-sense@reddit
Yeah it's a useful tool when you solely add people you've met irl and have talked to in the past 2-3 years. The problems happen when people add like 300 friends that they've never met & will never meet and then freak out "mY feEd is so SpamMed!!" meanwhile I only get updates on the dozen or so close family.
-NigheanDonn@reddit
I gave up facebook and instagram in november. It’s been really hard because I now live on another continent than almost all of my friends and family. I have no idea what’s happening in anyone’s lives anymore. I feel really sad but I just can’t go back to Facebook and I can’t go back to America.
d_in_dc@reddit
I want to ditch it so badly but I’m stuck because it’s the only way I get info about my kids extracurriculars, after school clubs, etc. 😭
Myfourcats1@reddit
I stopped looking at it and Instagram and I feel so much better. I get that fomo bad when I go on fb. I still need to go to check book club stuff.
Now TikTok.. how I love thee. I’m currently in the acotar universe and there are so many creators that analyze these books. It’s a fun app. Cats. Independent left leaning journalists
unicornkiss@reddit
Deactivate your account as a trial run and see if you miss it.
Spoiler: you won’t.
FalseVeterinarian881@reddit
I just limit access on my app. I have to choose to unlock it bits at a time and it makes me think twice about, “do I REALLY need to see what is going on there?”
Give it a go.
adsantamonica@reddit
Lots of people are leaving Facebook for good reason.
elMurpherino@reddit
I gave up at the beginning of Covid and it’s been awesome.
RipErRiley@reddit
I’m meta free and it went surprisingly well. I thought it would be more of an adjustment. Very freeing.
PeepJerky@reddit
I deleted the app but still have the account for marketplace. It’s inconvenient enough to log in online that I only do it when I really need to. I don’t miss it.
RitchieViolence@reddit
I gave up Facebook in 2010. Instagram in 2020. I had Snapchat for a year before leaving. Left Twitter in 2019. I have a Bluesky but I feel that’s it’s so dead most of the time that I might as well deactivate.
Leaving Facebook at that time was the best thing for me. Freed up TONS of time during the day to get back to my personal hobbies.
Reddit is holding on by a thread. I feel that I’ll be leaving soon, too.
PeepJerky@reddit
I deleted the app but still have the account for marketplace. I don’t miss it.
Apprehensive_Cheek77@reddit
I gave up Facebook and Twitter about 5 years ago. Yes, friends dropped off, but if they only contact you through Facebook they are not good friends. My mental health has greatly improved. I have an account, but haven’t posted or checked it for five years. You (or I) can always go back, particularly if you don’t close your account.
Apprehensive_Cheek77@reddit
I gave up Facebook and Twitter about 5 years ago. Yes, friends dropped off, but if they only contact you through Facebook they are not good friends. My mental health has greatly improved. I have an account, but haven’t posted or checked it for five years. You (or I) can always go back, particularly if you don’t close your account.
Spiritual_Sorbet_870@reddit
I just had this conversation with a friend. She massively purged her friend list to better control what content she’s getting and that seems to be a useful middle ground for her.
I have a few friend groups that largely exist in a variety of group texts - that’s worked really well for me but it does narrow who I’m in contact with a fair amount.
Spiritual_Sorbet_870@reddit
I just had this conversation with a friend. She massively purged her friend list to better control what content she’s getting and that seems to be a useful middle ground for her.
I have a few friend groups that largely exist in a variety of group texts - that’s worked really well for me but it does narrow who I’m in contact with a fair amount.
CarbonInTheWind@reddit
I scaled FB back to only family and close friends. Then I removed it from my phone. Now I only check it once or twice a week to see what has been posted by those close to me.
This way I'm not tempted to check it on my phone and I can easily ignore the slop that FB pushes into everyone.
CarbonInTheWind@reddit
I scaled FB back to only family and close friends. Then I removed it from my phone. Now I only check it once or twice a week to see what has been posted by those close to me.
This way I'm not tempted to check it on my phone and I can easily ignore the slop that FB pushes into everyone.
VVrayth@reddit
I'm close to all the people I care to be close to, without social media. I was never a Facebook user, and I sure wouldn't have been after the 2016 U.S. election anyway
danamitchellhurt@reddit
I recommend Discord for interest-specific groups. It works a lot like Reddit.
LiGuangMing1981@reddit
I'm in the same boat. I'm Canadian but live in China, halfway around the world from most of my friends and family. Facebook is one of the few ways I have of keeping in contact with people from back home. Would love to give it up for a less toxic alternative, but at present that'd be too much of an ask.
AdditionalTask6534@reddit
I gave it up and it was the best decision ever. I also just recently moved across country but I didn't have a problem making new friends. Good luck dude
PeanutNo7337@reddit
I still have FB, but don’t have the app. If I want to look at it, I have to work harder. I almost never post.
BayAreaVibes1989@reddit
Did you also do instagram?
user328i@reddit
I deactivated on Nov 5 (along with Twitter and TikTok). I kept Insta, Reddit and BlueSky.
Jerkrollatex@reddit
I only keep it to keep up with old friends and my far flung family. It used to be a great place to make business connections for creative people. It's not at all anymore.
Sea_Marsupial_8322@reddit
Same!
MedicineEmergency386@reddit
I only have Facebook for the Marketplace. If it was a separate app, I’d totally get it and ditch Facebook.
thatotherguy57@reddit
I really only use Facebook to look for memes for the ongoing meme war I have with my sister. Since leaving my previous job in 2021, I have only made three actual posts on Facebook. I have changed profile pics a few times and shared posts from years earlier a few times as well, but counting all of that, ten posts in the past four years, not including a memorial post on a friend's page after her funeral, but I consider that a special circumstance. It's been almost two years since the last post I made.
dukefett@reddit
99% of my FB usage is for hobby groups I’m in so I’ll always keep it for that. So many fewer dedicated forums out there, FB groups are basically the best places for some hobby stuff.
Proper_Stomach_1279@reddit
Facebook needs to release a separate app for marketplace, I’d be totally fine ditching FB but I love marketplace!
stykface@reddit
That's okay. I'm a very social guy, was popular (socially) in high school, etc. I like keeping up with people. I gave up social media about 5 years ago and all that happened was I kept up with the friends "worth" keeping up with... by phone calls and actually catching up. It's really not that bad. I kind of had the same worry in letting go but I realized I was not really a part of many of my friends' lives anymore, FB just gave me the sense that I was. Not that I wouldn't stop and catch up if I ran into them at Walmart or something, but... they had their own lives, and so did I, so why bother?
You will keep in touch with those you truly want to. And, you will have more to catch up on. That's what I found.
space_wiener@reddit
Other than facebook as a company there is nothing with using it. People that claim it’s toxic or hateful, have created that issue themselves by having friends that are that way or like pages that promote it.
I use it for hobby pages and old friends I don’t see any more. I don’t see anything toxic or I don’t like. If I click on something (I did this with a mma thing a while back) a couple of “ignore this type of post” it was gone.
The one maga friend I do have, I just unfollowed him (but kept as a friend) so his dumbass posts don’t show on my feed.
It’s not different that Reddit. Follow a bunch of crappy subs, get a crappy experience.
1Frazier@reddit
This is similar for me. I find hobby groups to be very useful and friendly.
I also use it to try and be more social. The targeted ads for events are sometimes things I end up doing. If I see an event that looks fun I'll post it with a general anyone want to go to this? I live 300 miles from family and am not super close to them but I feel closer now because all my boomer aunts and uncles are on FB and when I see them at the annual Christmas party they have more conversation topics with me.
McAshley0711@reddit
I got rid of fakebook when I saw several friends posting pictures and videos of their “fabulous life” when in reality, behind the scenes, shit was falling apart.
Any-Piece9158@reddit
One night about 2 years ago I just spent a few hours saving photos and videos and deleted it. Never looked back.
Ceemurphy@reddit
The only thing I realized after deactivating my account is that it's the sole resource anyone uses to "remember" your birthday. If your ego can handle not getting the generic templated happy birthday messages, you'll be fine.
SweetCosmicPope@reddit
I've been easing off of it. I have the same concerns as you. I moved across the country from my friends and family, and I have had no energy or really desire to make new friends here.
Fortunately, my best friend and I primarily talk on text, and pretty regularly. Same with my mom and sister.
I've been very uneasy with changes they've been making as far as data privacy, and their capitulation to a certain orange piece of shit. So I've been using it less and less, and honestly, I've enjoyed being more in the moment when I'm just out there with nothing to do. Instead of looking at my phone if I'm bored I can read, or I can watch out in the woods behind my house, or I even noticed shops in downtown Seattle I've never noticed before while I'm out walking to lunch because I'm usually wasting time on my phone while I wait at crosswalks. It's been much nicer to slow things down.
I'm sticking it out until my son graduates next month. I want to share his achievement with everybody that can't be there. After that, I'm gone for good. It's also the only social media I have unless we're counting reddit, so at least I don't have a bunch of them to detox from.
Brave_Tangerine5102@reddit
I haven’t had a fb since 2012
bloomsday289@reddit
Same boat.
This is what I've learned: it's natural for relationships to fade out. Let them go. You are thousands of miles away.
Put that energy into building new relationships.
cutepicspls@reddit
I hear you OP. I’m still struggling with this myself. I’m finding it increasingly difficult to filter out the negativity on my feed. It seems just casually browsing a non-controversial video, I get inundated with keyboard warriors going to battle. But I’m sad that I won’t get life updates on people I don’t otherwise keep in touch with. It’s nice to know what they’re doing with their lives and other platforms don’t provide the same personal insights.
TrustAffectionate966@reddit
They banned me around May 2006 (19 years!).
🧉🦄👍🏽
Johnfohf@reddit
Must have really been bad to get banned from FB. It allows everything from what I've experienced.
TrustAffectionate966@reddit
This was back in the day when it was only for universities and colleges. I was first banned for not using my real name. They then said I was “running a script” (hacking).
Banned ☠️
Ok_I_Guess_Whatever@reddit
I left Facebook 4 years ago and it’s been wonderful. Now if I ever go back to look something up I’m shocked at what a nursing home it is. Just angry old people sharing AI images
anunhappyending@reddit
Delete Facebook, but keep Messenger. That’s what I did. No AI garbage, and the old homies can still message me if they want to.
Johnfohf@reddit
Delete Messenger and get Signal
Yougotthewronglad@reddit
I haven’t used any form of social media for years, don’t care about my awful chav cousins back home, don’t care about the losers from secondary, any family or friend just talks to me like a regular person - via carrier pigeon.
zenunseen@reddit
Reddit technically is social media, albeit unlike any other. To the degree that it almost isn't social media. But i get what you're saying. And I'm the same way. I keep a facebook profile just to keep in touch with family and people back home (and as a traveling union electrician, to find the hot jobs) but i rarely post anything to it.
Also, the carrier pigeon thing sounds interesting
Bronska@reddit
I heard (can't remember where) that Reddit technically doesn't count as social media b/c its anonymous so it's not about following particular people - friends, celebrities and influencers. So interactions aren't based on "people" but they're based on topics. But I could be wrong.
Yougotthewronglad@reddit
Reddit is my undercover social media, I love that no one knows who I am.
Away_Worldliness4472@reddit
There are like two people on here who know who I am, but I don’t care if they know.
ThreeCraftPee@reddit
I know you, Dave.
Just kidding but maybe your name is Dave. Idk
Away_Worldliness4472@reddit
PETE?!?!???
ProfGoodwitch@reddit
I gave up FB over 10 years ago. I still text my family and friends and call them sometimes when I need to hear their voice. I am old though and we use to keep in touch a lot way before social media. So I think if your family and friends from back home really care about you they'll text you back or call you. If they drift away then they were really just FB 'friends' anyway.
I'd say go ahead and give it up and do something more rewarding with your time.
tultommy@reddit
The truth is if you were actually still close not being on Facebook wouldn't matter. Just because you see their posts about what they had for dinner or what vacation they are on doesn't really mean you're any more friends than if you didn't see the post. If the relationships are important to you then you need to put in the work to keep them going outside of social media. Or don't, it's also ok to let old friends go. Not everyone will be a lifelong friend. Doesn't demean the friendship you had at one time but life changes and we move on.
thundrbud@reddit
This is so spot on. I deleted Facebook from my phone 3 months ago and have zero regrets. At first I was like "but this is my only connection to so and so! If I get rid of Facebook I won't have any more contact!" and then I realized I hadn't seen some of these people in 20 years other than their posts... That's not a real relationship. I do not miss Facebook AT ALL!
misterlakatos@reddit
I was primarily on Facebook from 2004 until 2017. I took several breaks before calling it quits in 2017. I returned during the 2020 madness for about a year before leaving for good. I have not been back on there in nearly 4 years and have no desire to ever use it again.
I think back to a lot of my rants and ridiculous posts and feel pretty embarrassed. It always felt like a social artifice that only worsened after 2016. Do not miss that shit hole platform one bit.
Medellia23@reddit
Facebook is evil. But I understand your concerns. Read Careless People if you need further convincing to abandon that garbage fire. (I say this but I use it for buying and selling kids stuff and would find it practically challenging to totally give it up. I just use it only for Marketplace now).
ohfrackthis@reddit
I grew up in the army so all of my classmates/friends ans acquaintances were on FB and insta. Got rid of all of that around 2015/16 and I'm extremely glad.
The way I see it: if you KNOW me you know my phone number which hasn't changed in 20 years etc.
Also, ymmv, I'm a harcore introvert.
You can disconnect but also make sure you have everyone's email/phone # if you want too.
valbrewhaha@reddit
Deleted my fb about 6 months ago and feel less anxious
lovemypennydog@reddit
I was about to quit FB but had joined a networking group that is awesome. That aside I do try to stay away from it.
Tylerdurden389@reddit
As FB slowly changed its format to be like the other social apps, and it slowly became nothing but ads, friend suggestions, I put in a few filters to eliminate that so FB would look like it did for most of its life until like the last 3 years or so.
Unfortunately everything keeps disappearing and now I don't see anything. So I use it for events of local things happening, and to wish people happy birthday.
domigraygan@reddit
Start a Vbulletin forum and invite them all to join and post about whatever and keep in touch
Sunshinehaiku@reddit
I went back to talking to people on the phone before the pandemic and got laughed at.
About half of my friend group has stopped using all social media since then.
Horizontal_Bob@reddit
I still use bookface
I have maybe 2 dozen people in my feed. Everyone else is muted
I stay up to date with the people I care about and the rest of the time I just look at meme’s and sports content
I never post unless it’s to share a funny video
Social media is fine if you just consume a small tiny fraction of the content and mute the rest
islipped83@reddit
Finally killed my Meta accounts on Jan. 20 but not after messaging people I kept in touch with via Messenger to exchange phone numbers. Now we text. It’s great!
islipped83@reddit
I’ll add the only thing I miss is Marketplace and the local buy-nothing group I was in
jRok57@reddit
I'm a lot like you: moved 2k miles from the Midwest and don't really keep up with too many people outside my family.
I gave up Facebook in 2019 and really haven't missed it. The people I want to keep up with, I do. The ones I would roll my eyes at, I don't see anymore.
GoonieMcflyguy@reddit
I'm almost on 10 years or little to no Facebook or Instagram. It's quite liberating. I'm back to real people in my actual circle of geography and space. The pendulum often swings back
LeRosbif49@reddit
I came to the realisation that maintaining friendships is a two way street. If these people can never be bothered to send me a message, then I won’t miss them.
I deleted all social media except for Reddit. It was one of the best things I ever did. I warned people first, and those that mattered reached out.
Think_Profit4911@reddit
How much actual contact do you have with those people?
Like you, I’ve lived in a different state (or three) than where I grew up. Personally, I found that I only heard from old friends when they were told that it was my birthday
Social media stopped being fun a long time ago for me. And then when the CEOs started getting involved in US politics… well, I deleted meta 1/21/25 and twitter 10/27/22
My phone number hasn’t changed in 20+yrs 🤷🏻♂️
ketamineburner@reddit
I'm not on any social media besides Reddit.
I also live across the country from my hometown.
I text or call the people that matter and that's fine. I've never felt a need to see people on social media. It all seems like lies or dirty laundry with very little in between.
Helo7606@reddit
Gave up on Facebook a few years ago. I got extremely tired never seeing posts from pages and people I actually follow. It got way too annoying between that and constantly seeing maga morons shit.
Midnight_Marshmallo@reddit
I fucking hate Facebook, but I live 800 miles away from my family, so I stay on FB to keep in touch.
Spare-Way7104@reddit
I gave up Facebook and I don’t miss it in the slightest.
ChrisTGIK@reddit
I got a new laptop 7 years ago and never logged back in to FB. Uninstalled from my phone and haven't looked back.
ArtsyRabb1t@reddit
This and discord is all I have left
Dog_Baseball@reddit
I quit FB about 4 years ago. I cant even with that garbage anyone.
blackhawksq@reddit
Last year I started slowly deleting my facebook account. I've deleted pretty much every post I've made (minus some pictures). I have a few people that I still talk to on FB messenger so I don't want to close the account. I've started slowly unfriending everyone that I don't actively talk to. All of those highschool buddies that I haven't talked to in 20 years... Basically closing my account without closing it because of those few people I talk to.
Ftw_55@reddit
It, as well as Next Door, have turned into the Unhinged Boomer Network. So sad, and yet so amusing to watch Facebook fall to the shit storm that it is.
a_soul_in_training@reddit
i am in a similar boat; well, a boat anyway. facefuck has really gone downhill and i almost never post. but i lost my wife in 2012, and since then i've remarried and had a kid, and i've a whole new circle of friends. her family has moved away and i never had gotten super close with any of her friends (we'd only been together a couple of years). no one i associate with now has any experience of her. they know her through what i've had the opportunity to share.
but facebook remembers.
and probably more important than my own memories -- i can see other people remember her, and know she is loved and missed by more than just me.
there's literally no other avenue for that. and i just can't be the one to have to take her off of life support....again.
poopypants206@reddit
Got off it in 2016, made me happy to get rid of the toxic people
TX_Retro@reddit
I gave up FB two years ago and never looked back. All I miss is Marketplace but that is it's own hellscape now too. This week I got rid of X/Twitter cause, well it sucks. I am now only down to Reddit. It suits my needs for hobbies and that is all I care about.
In general I despise social media and most of us Xennials do to.
northerntouch@reddit
I’m in the exact same position When I do scroll Facebook I learn nothing - ever. I gain no new information. It’s just not worth the bi annual worthwhile post.
Sarah_Femme@reddit
I moved back home during covid and still never see half the people from my hometown I am still friends with on there.
It's hollow, and while I appreciated it when I moved away and didn't know anybody local, it's all become a crutch that keeps me from meeting new people in the real world, and I get the urge to be done with it myself these days.
lexluthor_i_am@reddit
Yes, i haven't posted on FB in earnest in over 5 years. I totally feel you. But at least we have Reddit and each other.
sed2017@reddit
Same! The only reason I have FB is to look back on the memories… FB these days is just full of crotchety Baby Boomers…
Disastrous-Screen337@reddit
Met my wife 9 years ago. No social media.
SlackerDS5@reddit
I gave up fakebook back during the beginning of someone’s presidential term. It’s been rather nice. I missed out on a few things with the family, but my introvert self is okay with it.
Nicholette83@reddit
Same. And I did lose touch with my old friends and have not learned how to make friends with someone I don’t work with yet 😂
But I am in a much better place mentally for it and don’t miss it. Those people were not really my friends.
ChristyLovesGuitars@reddit
I deleted my Facebook 7+ years ago. I live 1,000 miles from my family and the town I grew up in. 60 days from now, 2,000 miles.
Best decision of my life.
megxennial@reddit
I gave up facebook 10 years ago when I moved into a full-time job across the country. At the time I found it overwhelming - I just didn't want to see hundreds of baby/wedding updates which kicked my social comparison syndrome into overdrive. It was also really annoying and time consuming to mess with the filters to see who and what I wanted. I recently checked in and it looked like a boomer hellscape of fraud and spam. Don't miss it!
Hey-buuuddy@reddit
Closed my account in 2013. Good riddance.
llamakins2014@reddit
I got off Facebook awhile ago and no regret. the people I wanted to keep in contact with I provided with my number so we can text. You could give them your number and/or email address so you can keep in touch?
C_est_la_vie9707@reddit
I can't give it up either because it is THE way I learn about community events. There is no other single info source to replace it. Free advertising makes it ideal for non profit and community groups.
My feed is very heavily curated and I don't see a lot that I don't want to or I'm able to skim past it. If there was another option I would do it.
Pard22@reddit
I totally gave up social media(Facebook)with the exception of good ol’ Reddit, but my circumstances are a bit different I still live relatively close to my friends and family where I grew up. I understand completely what you mean by the drifting off thing. That’s a tough one bud.
therealpopkiller@reddit
I'm with you. I know there will be people I'll never hear from again (that I want to) if I give it up. Plus, it's the best way to promote my 90s radio show, since I refuse to use twitter anymore and Instagram sucks for linking things
pbpluspickles@reddit
I deleted it earlier this year, after not using it for probably 5. It occurred to me that what Facebook was giving me was the illusion of friends. Because my real friends? I have their numbers, we text, we hang out, we call. The people on Facebook are an assortment of folks that I met years ago at a party who I wouldn’t recognize on the street, people I went to grad school with, and unhinged relatives. Deleting it has spurred me to go make more irl friends, rather than relying on those illusions. Net gain.
Whitworth@reddit
Other than Marketplace, I gave up Facebook 7 years ago, Instagram 1 year old. Over that shit.
AwkwardPersonality36@reddit
TBH I use it more for groups (interests) and my own personal photo album more than anything else. I'm rarely interactive with anyone otherwise. Most of my friends have it but also rarely use it, not sure their accounts are even active in the last decade at all. I've noticed a lot less activity from people on my friends list since AI came into play though, it's all ads and suggested shit anyway.
MrsO2006@reddit
Gave it up in 2017 and haven’t regretted it. I only waited as long as I did because I moved 2 states away from my family, and it was a good way to remain connected to them. However, I realized that I could keep in touch with anyone I really wanted to through texting and phone calls. Although I’m (obviously) still on Reddit, I reclaimed so much of my free time I’d lost to FB.
GreatGaspee@reddit
I kinda view FB as a modern rolodex. You can reach out to people if you need to. I’m going to Australia in a week and staying with a friend from a firm we used to work at in New York. I had no other way to reach her if not for FB. It’s just a tool. If you don’t want to be on, just don’t log on. Anyone who wants to reach you would send a message and you can get that through Messenger.
Ok-Kangaroo4613@reddit
I deleted/blocked all social media in January for political reasons and haven’t missed it one bit. I know I miss a few pics from my daughter’s school and there are definitely people I don’t have any other contact with, but I don’t think it’s anything to truly be missed… nothing of real substance. I messaged a couple people before leaving FB with my phone # and haven’t heard anything, so 🤷🏻♀️
No-Hospital559@reddit
I am in the same boat, I work for myself and far away from most people I am close with. I made excuses to keep Facebook for far too long. Ask yourself, why keep relationships if you are the only one willing to make the effort. Deleting Facebook should not mean "deleting" friendships or relationships.
Moxie_Stardust@reddit
Meh, I still have FB, mostly some older family members on there, I spent maybe 10 minutes a week there. But my FB experience was never the nightmare I hear other people talk about, the only time I see the crazies is when people connected to my family members comment on their post. And it's sort of a nice occasional glimpse into the "oh, wow, these crazy fucks really are out there!" kind of thing without having to get too close to them.
The quality of FB overall, even with my fairly minimal usage, has still observably declined though.
Hootinger@reddit
I gave up on Facebook (and all social media) in the summer of 2020, and never returned. The first few weeks are the hardest. After that, you will not want to go back. I am glad I left.
TurboJorts@reddit
Facebook is what you make it.
I use the web to access from my computer and have trimmed most everything down. The app is gone.
At this point it's really just a way for messenger to work. My feed is garbage (like most everyones) so I rarely check it.
Deleting Facebook is extreme. Ignoring it it easy, but up to you.
Mr402TheSouthSioux@reddit
Drop it and don't look back. If you have homies back home that really mean something to you then you will find a alternate way to connect that doesn't involve psychological manipulation and disinformation. Me and my buddies use a group chat over text and it serves that purpose just fine. Reddit is still semi under my terms which is why I continue to use it. If it goes south I'll drop this shit too.
StevieV61080@reddit
I have backed off a lot in the past decade. I still use it daily, but only to watch some occasional reels and see if any of my few remaining contacts posted anything. It's mainly a way to keep in touch with my family since I only use FB and Reddit (never used Instagram, Whatsapp, Twitter/X, Bluesky, Mastodon, Discord, Snapchat).
If ICQ, MSN Messenger, AIM, or Yahoo! Messenger still existed, I would 100% delete my FB.
Illustrious-Lead-960@reddit
Don’t they offer a “friends only” option?
lythy2016@reddit
Haven’t been on FB since November, feel all the better for it.
Dramatic_Suspect_3@reddit
Deleting Facebook was a seriously good move for me. My husband even decided to delete and well and I think it’s been really good for our collective mental health.
kirkegaarr@reddit
I deactivated Facebook around November, but still have Messenger. I have not missed Facebook one bit.
MiniPantherMa@reddit
Try keeping up with some of those folks through group chats.
lonely_nipple@reddit
I spent the last couple years debating it, but was in the same situation. Many of my friends from my younger years were scattered across the US, plus there were quite a few I'd never met but had been friends with online for nearly 20 years.
I finally gave up and decided, if they want to stay in touch some other way, they will. I made a post, tagged a pile of people I knew didn't have a phone/email/tumblr contact with me, and gave a deadline a week out.
Made the same post again (without the annoying tags) every day for the next week while waiting for FB to zip up and export all my account info. Once I had it downloaded, I fully deleted the whole account, along with Insta.
RolandMT32@reddit
I haven't really felt a want or need to give up Facebook, but Facebook is a way that I like to see updates from my friends, family, and other contacts. If I leave Facebook, I wouldn't be able to keep up with my friends & family there, and I don't really want to do that. I don't really see any problems on Facebook that make me want to leave it either..
jambr380@reddit
I kept it, but check it sparingly (maybe like once a month). I'll go down and heart a bunch of posts that just happen to be at the top.
Facebook is pretty awful, but it is the best catalog I have of all the people I've ever known. No reason to dump it completely. It's not like a paid subscription or anything
BritOnTheRocks@reddit
Similar situation here, but I think the pandemic prepared me for the drift. If I really want to catch up with my old friends (like when I visit home) I can probably figure out how to find them.
xzelldx@reddit
All the people I used FB to talk to have left, so there wasn’t anything keeping me around. I deactivated my account the same day they announced that calling LGBT people “mentally ill” wasn’t against the TOS.
Fuck that trash pile.
throwitlikethewind@reddit
I deleted my main FB and IG accounts years ago and lost touch with most of my relatives and friends. I get the occasional text but the contact isn't as frequent as when I was using those platforms. I can't say this makes me entirely sad, though.
Ok-Recognition8655@reddit
I still have my account but I don't have the app installed and I check it about twice a week through my phone's browser. Nine out of ten posts that I see are terrible suggested posts from things I don't even follow
coltees_titties@reddit
I gave up mine 10 years ago and I don't regret it.
Relative-Gas-1721@reddit
Chances are, the people you think you’re losing touch with are probably also drifting away from FB as well. And if they’re the type who still constantly post on FB, they’re probably annoying anyway.
ClimbingUpTheWalls23@reddit
I deactivated my FB a couple of years ago but never fully pulled the plug because I had loads of photos on there. But I also questioned what would happen if I lost access to those “connections.” I deleted it for good a few months ago after downloading all of my pics. I regret nothing. If anything I realized how little I was getting from maintaining such “connections.” The people that truly matter don’t need a social media platform to stay in touch.
General-Carob-6087@reddit
I took live a 1000 miles from my hometown. Staying in some sort of contact with people back home is really the only reason I keep it. My other social media accounts are filled with people around the world.
Status_Jump_2496@reddit
I moved away from my friends and family last summer. Gave up Facebook a few weeks ago, so I totally understand where you’re coming from. I wanted to keep it to keep in touch with people, but found myself doom scrolling and fighting with people on news and political articles way too often. It was becoming a problem for my mental health. I think I’m 3 weeks without it and I don’t miss it at all. The people I’m close with I still text with as much as possible. The only things I truly miss are marketplace and events. Don’t have any friends where I moved to but I’m finding better things to do with my time now that I’m not just on fb constantly. It was an addiction for sure.
absentfacejack@reddit
You need to take it off your phone, but have some way to access it, because eventually, you will find a cat and realize the only way to get rid of this cat that you now have caged in your garage with some food and a litter box is to post on facebook and hope your neighbors can help find its owners because you don’t really know or talk to anyone anymore and then you will have to spend the next couple of days figuring out where all the notifications are coming from and what even is Facebook messenger and who would ever want to use it, but it will all start to make sense as this is the only way to get this cat home. Please let me know via Facebook if you are missing a tabby with no chip.
Notredamus1@reddit
I still enjoy Facebook overall. I keep in touch with old friends and my extended family. People using it as a political soapbox can be annoying. But I also enjoy the groups. Other than that, this is my only social media.
TacosAreJustice@reddit
If the only way you keep up with people is via Facebook, are you really keeping up with them?
T-Bombie@reddit
Never had it and never will! A few of my friends from high-school also have never had it and we just stay in touch the old fashioned way of a phone call every couple weeks or a gathering.
slappy_mcslapenstein@reddit
I deactivated mine at the beginning of the year. I'm so much happier now.
DeciusAemilius@reddit
I hadn’t used it much in a long time but deleted it a few months ago. No regrets. Only social media I use is Mastodon.
Itchy-Noise341@reddit
I gave it up many years ago. I live about an hour from most friends, Im definitely left out of many things because of it.
Shawsome5150@reddit
I gave up FB when the pandemic misinformation started, and I lost contact with all the friends from old jobs and schools.
It was one of the best decisions I made in my life. People aren't supposed to stay in contact with everyone they've ever met.
aliethel@reddit
Friends? In this economy? I just have my wife and cats. No need for Facebook with lots of alternatives (non-Meta) for posting pictures of the cats.
dudical_dude@reddit
I still us it for the marketplace and for finding pickup soccer groups.
TiEmEnTi@reddit
I went FB dormant in 2017 and have no other social media with my real name. People who want to contact me can still use FB messenger but I prob only remember to check it every 3 months or so. Have drifted away from some folks I only kept up with on their feed but otherwise has definitely been a net positive. Also now when I run across someone I haven't seen in a while we get to actually catch up.
CyberpunkOctopus@reddit
Ditched it early this year, down to Reddit and Mastodon. I have exactly as many conversations with my Facebook friends now as I did last year and far fewer ads in my life.
symonym7@reddit
I keep FB to talk to my mom on messenger, but even that's getting iffy.
Unrelated: no, mom, I'm not driving 160 miles round trip to log you into Amazon when I made the whole process as idiot-proof as possible the last time I was there, and you probably don't need more shit anyway.
LoadofBarney@reddit
Same; born and raised in Europe, moved to the States 20 years ago, Facebook was a great way to stay in touch with friends and family from back home……I hate the app but keep it so I can attempt to stay in touch.
valhallaswyrdo@reddit
I felt the same as you for the last 2 or 3 years that I was on FB but I kept constantly getting fed up with the dumbest content so I deleted the app from my phone for a few weeks, forcing me to use the browser experience so it was more inconvenient to doom scroll and after a few weeks of that I started going weeks without even looking at it and felt better so I ended up deleting it for the 60 day window and never looked back after that. Haven't been on in years now
Late-Arrival-8669@reddit
I quit facebook in 2016 due to all the bots, never went back, never will. Reddit is my only social media.
Lonely_North_8436@reddit
I did a few months back and it’s like I don’t exist now to anyone. I talked to my cousin the other day and got “oh yeah, my son’s party is coming up but I couldn’t send you the invite since you’re not on Facebook.” I do miss marketplace but I don’t miss drama and non stop advertisements.
SquatchoCamacho@reddit
I deleted every person off my fb and only use it for buying local junk and stuff lol
zeusamoose@reddit
I unfollowed literally everyone on there about 7 years ago and deleted the app from my phone. It kept showing me the same people, and not ones I cared much about. I was having to go to certain people's profile to check out what they had been up to manually, so I thought why not get rid of the feed entirely. No wasted time with the feed algorithm now, and I can still check in with people, use marketplace, groups, etc if needed by using the browser.
LocutusOfBeard@reddit
Gave it up during covid. One of the best decisions I made for my mental health as well as time management.
saltybruise@reddit
90% of my current Facebook usage is Messenger with like old group chats on it that would be annoying to remake on a different app and posting pictures of my husband for my mother-in-law who lives on a different continent.
braywarshawsky@reddit
Do like I do... Have a FB page and check it about once a year. Just make sure you lock it down first. Set it up so you have to approve people tagging you in posts before it appears on your page. Then change your password and secure it with a 2MFA, so you'll get a notification if anyone tries to log in.
nashuanuke@reddit
Yeah, basically that’s what happened when I gave it up a couple years ago. Albeit most of my friends were never on or only rarely anyways. So really I lost touch with people I didn’t really care about.
MyHGC@reddit
Deleted Facebook in 2020, which was apparently perfect timing from what I’ve heard about what Facebook is now.
sixthwarddd@reddit
Get rid of it. Live life.
shetalkstoangels_@reddit
I deleted Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok back in December and it’s been great. It was REALLY hard at first - I didn’t realize how addicted to social media I was, but having just Reddit has felt like my brain is decluttered
WittyAndWeird@reddit
I keep it only for the groups I’m in and for the memories I’ve posted through the years. I deleted all my friends.
Opposite-Heron-2487@reddit
I am not in the exact same boat, but I have some similarities. I also live about 2,000 miles from where I grew up and where my friends are. Here I have my partner, and rarely get to hang out with other parents of kids who are friends with our son. I got rid of my social media accounts (aside from Reddit). I actually have been better about texting my friends when I think of them rather than passively being updated via their posts to social media.
hobbes_shot_second@reddit
I killed my social accounts in 2020, and have not heard from anyone since unless I reached out. Occasionally, it turns out that person died some time previously.
I still don't regret it because social media is the debil.
Wak3upHicks@reddit
I deleted it but remade one just for the use of marketplace. Could not care less about anything else on there