Quitting Social Media

[Onyx2]

I have no issue with giving Facebook some data. The service is 'free' so an exchange of info for some targeted ads seems fair.

But the fact they collect your info from other apps whether or not you have an account is just insane.

I don't like the reports of how they have been used as a platform to influence elections. I barely used Facebook last year. And I've been tempted to delete my account entirely. But I have a lot of comms via Messenger, and I'm content using WhatsApp. And Instagram for that matter. But Facebook quitters, what's the pros and cons? @Chest Rockwell? Others?

I've seen lots of people talk about quitting Twitter on here recently. That doesn't bother me so much because I only open it when I need to. But how are we all feeling about them there socials?

[Gus Mears]

I've massively wound back Twitter use this year. While the way Facebook use personal data is utterly contemptible (and I also would like to bin it, not that it would stop them having reams of info on me by this point), Twitter makes me actually depressed in a way Facebook doesn't.

The interminable bickering, the deliberate amplification of extreme views, the endless bad-faith arguing, the pile-ons, the way it's designed to reduce complex issues in a way they often can't be reduced to. It's a horrible and nasty place when you're using it as I do as a news/views source across politics for work. 

[Keith Houchen]

5 minutes ago, Gus Mears said:

The interminable bickering, the deliberate amplification of extreme views, the endless bad-faith arguing, the pile-ons, the way it's designed to reduce complex issues in a way they often can't be reduced to. It's a horrible and nasty place when you're using it as I do as a news/views source across politics for work.

But enough about the Vegan thread, what do you think of Twitter?

[Otto Dem Wanz]

8 minutes ago, Gus Mears said:

I've massively wound back Twitter use this year. While the way Facebook use personal data is utterly contemptible (and I also would like to bin it, not that it would stop them having reams of info on me by this point), Twitter makes me actually depressed in a way Facebook doesn't.

The interminable bickering, the deliberate amplification of extreme views, the endless bad-faith arguing, the pile-ons, the way it's designed to reduce complex issues in a way they often can't be reduced to. It's a horrible and nasty place when you're using it as I do as a news/views source across politics for work. 

This.

Plus "Football Twitter".

[Factotum]

I got rid of Facebook a couple of months ago and I can't say I miss it. You get in the habit of checking it which is weird for a day or so after you leave that you can't, but then...nothing. Twitter and Instagram I still use. I still find Twitter amusing, its all about scaling back who you follow etc. and its waaay better. There's some comedians etc. I like but I really cannot be bothered with them going on about Trump or Brexit. I get that from the news. Twitter's moral outrage really is the minority as well.

Instagram is always rather enjoyable.

[tiger_rick]

As I mentioned briefly the other day, I've had a great experience of Twitter. I've met so many fellow Hull City fans through it, some of whom are now good friends. I've also met fans of other clubs, non-league clubs and fellow coaches through it are firm friends now. When I go watch local non-league football, I stand with 4 or 5 people who I didn't know before Twitter and a lot of my socialising is through those friends made on Twitter. I reckon the campaign we ran to fight off the name-change to Hull Tigers wouldn't have been possible without that network of people either so we owe it plenty.

I get the negatives and it's not just Twitter or Facebook. Anything with a comments section is a frightening look into the dearth of empathy and intelligence in the human race. I'd rather be on twitter than read YouTube comments, for sure.

[air_raid]

Re : @Onyx2 "But the fact they collect your info from other apps whether or not you have an account is just insane."

Everything talks to everything, this shouldn't be news to anyone. Not sure if I told him ever but aaaaages ago my Yahoo mail client offered me Houchen as a possible email recipient even though he's never given me his email address and our only connections are on here and on Twitter - and my Twitter account is not linked to my Yahoo email address. Think about that.

Skynet is on the way. As soon as we made YouTube or Amazon intelligent enough to make recommendations, we screwed ourselves as a species. We gave the machines the capability to LEARN, so inevitably they'll learn what kills us.

[Joe Blog]

I have been on and off FB for a number of years. I have never messenger but have deactivated my account, I only keep messenger as it is handy to have. 

Never been on twitter, instagram etc. I am a bit of a technophobe as it is. I have found that without FB I read more and generally find myself with more spare time. Far too easy to loose 20 mins here and there scrolling FB. 

Come breathe the fresh air atop the mountain brothers. 

[Your Fight Site]

I did prepare to close my Facebook account about four years ago. I un-friended everyone, then realised I administrate a handful of Facebook Pages. I slowly began the awkward practice of sending new friend requests to close friends and family, but it was a good cull in the long run.

My friends list is still close friends and family. I also have customers as friends, but add them to the “restricted” friends list so that they only see posts, photos etc marked as “Public” (which is very little). I don’t use Facebook as a “social” tool as the news feed is just adverts and family members sharing racist/anti-Brexit shite for me.

Twitter I’m a lot more active on. Instagram, not so. I have a profile but must post like, three pictures a year. And not into following “influencers” who exist solely to make me jealous of the lifestyles and money they (seemingly) have.

TL;DR: It’s looking unlikely that I’d quit social media in the near future.

[BomberPat]

I'm very active on Twitter, and would probably struggle most to get rid of that - there's a lot of people I only really chat to on there, I keep up with wrestling news (especially indies that aren't covered by news sites etc.) there, and there's a few people who make me laugh consistently enough to make the whole thing worthwhile.

Facebook I find increasingly useless as fewer people use it for any of the reasons I do, and migrate elsewhere, though between keeping up with family and promoting events, I can't really see myself cutting ties completely. I mostly use it just to amuse myself and a handful of others, though.

 

I do think social media, by and large, is detrimental to society, gives disproportionate exposure to extreme views, and is far too open (almost by design) to corruption and to exploitation by far right groups (not exclusively, but the far right have far more experience of networking and using clandestine methods to get their more hateful ideas under the radar), and I do find myself often wondering how I justify continuing to use it. 

[garynysmon]

This will probably be my most snobbish post ever, but Facebook was great until it was discovered by the great unwashed. Of course, what appears on your feed is down to who you befriend, but there's a social awkwardness with not accepting people you should. 

Thankfully, I've made great use of the hide button which means that certain people's drivel and nonsense chain posts don't populate the main newsfeed, though you're still technically friends with them. 

If nothing else, its proved to me that the standards of literacy, both in Welsh and English, are fucking dreadful.

Facebook's day has been and gone anyway, kids aren't using it these days so it will eventually go the way of Myspace.

I agree with many of the comments re: Twitter. I use Twitter a lot due to my work, but its such an echo chamber.

[Kaz Hayashi]

I’ve been close to quitting FB several times but never seem to pull the trigger (due to messenger) but I’m so tempted. 

I had a bit of a justified (I believe) rant at Tesco on FB about plastic bags last summer. Due to illness I had to use the delivery service. I opted for no plastic bags as they give you the option to do so. I’m fully behind the idea of taking your own bags etc. Worth noting that Tesco also signed an agreement and have a no single use bag policy which they apparently don’t enforce. 

When the shop arrived, they didn’t bring any typical plastic bags, which was good, however, they decided to individually pop each jacket potato in it’s own individual small single use plastic bag. They put apples in individual bags, 1 butternut squash in its own bag, etc. I mean the fucking state of this:

I thought it was a full on wind up. “This daft cunt doesn’t want any bags... right, put every single item in its own bag, the twat”.

They seemed to completely miss the point of why anyone would opt for no bags.

I thought my comments on their page would raise at least one eyebrow of solidarity... did it fuck.

The absolute barrage of abuse I received from the general public was intense man, crackers. It started with bellends like these, claiming I’d be upset if my Apple got bruised. 

Then it turned in to a take the piss pile on, then people started calling me a “lefty cunt with no real problems”, someone said they were going to come around my house, tip my rubbish on the floor and take away my bin bags if I hated them so much.

There were 72 replies in total. All strangers. Everyone of them ripping me to shreds, because I asked for no bags. 

I started to think that Tesco must hire random people to berate anyone who dares to question their actions, in exchange for some club points or something. It was nuts.

Anyway, that’s probably more of a reason to stay on FB. If you fancy a laugh, set up a FB account, pop on to the Tesco page, ask them questions about shit like why a 2ltr bottle of Coke is cheaper than the 1.5ltr bottle of Coke next to it, and watch shit hit the fan.

[Factotum]

Quote

This will probably be my most snobbish post ever, but Facebook was great until it was discovered by the great unwashed.

I remember signing up in 2006 and you needed a University e-mail to register. It was great in those days, despite the weird 'Is' bit on status'.

[Fatty Facesitter]

My experience with Twitter started off much the same as Rick's in a positive manner. In its relative infancy it was a fantastic way to connect with fellow football fans, and at the time it also lead to a few writing opportunities, which was my main aspirational career focus at the time. I still check it everyday out of habit, but I'm nowhere near as active as I used to be. Truth be told I don't think anything I write on Twitter now is even remotely engaging. It's also been massively overtaken by work tweets, which are obviously more PC than usual and to be honest little to no fun to pull together. My Instagram is much the same - it's a record of my work rather than anything else that's really of any great interest. I'm a boring bastard really. 

@BomberPat I understand your feelings on it. I do believe though that social media CAN be a force for good and positivity. For instance, say you're into a niche subject - it's much easier today to connect with like-minded people now than it's ever been. Although people do spend a lot of time looking at their phones these days, it can potentially make the interactions with people much more meaningful when they do meet up in person. It's also been a fantastic way for me to take care of things on the home front, i.e the bank, phone company etc by directly engaging with my bank/providers through social. Granted this probably varies from company to company, but by dropping them a simple DM outlining my issues the matter gets the resolved in a matter of minutes. It definitely has it's issues and in general it needs to be much better policed, mind you. 

Where I think concerns will grow is advertising through what's known as 'Dark Social' platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. This might happen in some cases already but this is the next thing that companies are looking into, i.e some football clubs have started offering news services sending you content direct to your mobile number on WhatsApp with exclusive offers, interviews etc. Sounds unique in prospect but that opens up a whole new conversation about how you go about fending off people with bad intentions looking to get your mobile number, how your data is protected, etc. This is a much scarier prospect to me than stuff like Twitter. 

 

[DCW]

Got rid of Facebook and Instagram when relationship ended last year and am definitely the happier for it. Facebook was tolerable at the start, but once your creepy uncle messages all your female friends, or you find out your boss is a massive twat in his personal life too, it lost its appeal. Instagram has always been bollocks, and all about showing off so was glad to delete. 

 

Twitter is surely a creation of Satan, and embodies everything wrong with the world.