“But somewhere in that transition from a social site meant to deepen interpersonal relationships to a self promotional, commercial tool, Facebook lost its appeal.
“The various facets of my life merged into a web of connectivity where I could no longer clearly create distinct relationships with friends, foes, and fast food — either because I can’t figure out how or because Facebook is preventing me outright.
“For me, the overwhelming connectivity to everyone and everything, without much control over those ties, feels like I’m no longer connected to anything, and meanwhile, outside groups benefit.”
Laura McGann has deactivated her Facebook account and here’s why. (via Bookforum)
I’ve been hearing lots of arguments about how we should all quit Facebook. From countless privacy issues to F.B. hiring former Bush administration stooges, lots of well-intentioned folks have made strong cases for quitting while the next moment logging in to make a comment about their friend’s Youtube post. Facebook’s addictive nature is the strongest reason for deactivation, at least in my opinion.
But I still won’t do it. . . not until my friends do it. See, it all goes back to peer pressure, the only thing I really learned in grade school.
6 responses
I look at it this way. I’m a writer who hopes to be read, and I’m an editor at a fairly successful online magazine. I live a significant part of my life online, so for me to be worried about privacy borders on the absurd. The stuff I want to keep private doesn’t go online, not even into an email, because those are only as secure as the computer of the person you send it to (or as secure as the computer you write it on, for that matter).
But I’m also fortunate, because I’ve never had to worry about an ex who wanted to harm me. Just because I don’t have privacy concerns doesn’t mean that those concerns aren’t legitimate, or that they won’t be for me someday. I’m not going to question anyone who decides that this is the bridge too far for them, because I can certainly see how it might be for me in different circumstances.
After years of resisting, sometimes quite vehemently, the slightest idea of joining FB, I finally signed up last month. It’s death knell for sure.
I’ve found it to be a wonderful tool, mainly because people do check their FB more often than their emails. But that’s what I see it as, a tool. Not a utopian community.
For me it’s a significantly less useful tool when they continually change their privacy rules. It’s bad ethics, bad business. I’m not cancelling my account, but I’ve tried to remove everything they can make money from and I’ve gone from a regular enthusiastic user to someone who generally lurks silently and uses the messaging to keep in touch with old friends. I no longer recommend it.
The frustration isn’t about utopian ideals of privacy. It’s because I chose Facebook as a tool to talk to friends and family– I have other tools to talk to the world. I think most people initially chose it for that purpose. FB execs are well aware of that. It’s a question of business ethics (and I don’t find that an oxymoron) not to use that choice to monetize my content in a different way.
Or put another way– I might know my bike lock won’t deter a professional thief, but that doesn’t mean I want someone to convert it into a shared bike on my behalf.
movie idea: people making love w/ their virtual reality masks on, unable to see each other except on screen
Already committed FB suicide and 😀 to do that
Surprising only 12 people liked this on Facebook.
Click here to subscribe today and leave your comment.