Deactivating/Deleting Social Media

[bubbletea123]

Yes I have done that and got drunk on Boxing Day and reinstalled Insta! Gonna delete it now!
I have set a timer to 1 hour per day but really struggling during the holidays and find myself on it constantly again!!

I used to read so many books and have Def found myself on SM more during the holidays. That's why today, I decided to get rid. Haha.

 

[Twinkle485]

Hated Facebook it was a bitch fest of older family moaning they don’t see my kids IT WORKS BOTH WAYS!!!!
and whose kids wore the best outfit / have the most fun.
Instagram I have to follow dogs even that’s getting old. My goal this year is to be social media free or an hour a week. Like I talk to nobody I hate people in general. I’ve decided to get my trusty canon out and play with that and I also want to do more walks out I’ve got myself a map and everything.
I got rid of youtube because my kids turned into brats that appreciated nothing I shit you not they thought they could act like YouTube kids and that lasted a week.
Social media depressed me I refuse to let it happen any more.

 

[House of Tea]

The worse thing is I love reading, but my attention span is terrible now. Being online a lot just ruins your concentration. It’s all swipe here and click on this so when you read a book or a magazine it is hard to keep focus on one thing. I used to read lots of books but it has reduced so much. It was a resolution of mine to get back into it, it is relaxing and escapism. It is crazy how much focus has switched to sitting mindlessly online. Or you read about lazy husbands who spend their time in a chair on a games console not engaged with family life, only interested in gaming. Same thing I guess.

This relates to teenagers but I think it applies to a lot of adults too.

Bill Gates and Steve Jobs raised their kids with limited tech — and it should have been a red flag about our own smartphone use

The attitudes of Silicon Valley's power players to how their kids interact with tech suggest smartphone use should've been regulated a decade ago.

www.businessinsider.com

 

[MarthaFarkus]

Weirdly enough I deactivated Twitter this morning because it’s just so negative with people moaning, being horrible to each other and constant talk of covid (even though I muted the word) and then I saw this thread. I also have Facebook (deactivated it for about 4 years and then had to reactivate it as my work has a group and I got fomo as things were being put in there and not in the WhatsApp group). I still hate it though and post absolutely nothing similarly with Instagram, my last post was in September and I’ve unfollowed a lot of people recently. Trying harder not to just scroll mindlessly now and it’s going well so far.

My brain doesn’t have the space for people’s drama's and having things flogged at me.

 

[Eirawen]

I’ve just read this thread and deleted Facebook and Instagram apps from my phone I’m always comparing my life to others and it’s damaging I think. If I was born 50 years ago I wouldn’t have a clue what my classmates were up to and I wouldn’t care.

I’ve got people on there from school, who I didn’t even speak to and wouldn’t give me the time of day, and I’m updated with their life and children?! Why???!!!

I refuse to accept friend requests from people who treated me like dirt in school, they can go to hell, I end up blocking them.

 

[emmer_moans]

What annoys me about Facebook is you can unfollow all the fan pages and groups you have ever followed and still your feed is crammed with suggested posts so we will never get just our friends on the feed any more. Currently I'm getting horse hoof trimming videos and eyebrow waxing posts all the time

 

[mochibean]

I went down a rabbit hole this weekend looking at all my old statuses on facebook since 2007, it was weird going back in time but what struck me was how cringe I was in the early days when facebook was all about status updates rather than ads and videos. I posted hundreds and hundreds of times about the weather, being bored, moaning about bus drivers, moaning about uni, ahaha, I'm like, why on earth was I moaning so much, every thought was posted. I've deleted them now as I feel awkward about over 15 years worth of comments sitting on a server to be read, (nothing bad but just so cringe), and I'm still contemplating ditching facebook altogether but it is useful for finding out about local news and events so I may continue to keep it as something to observe rather than post much on. Notably in the past 5 years I barely posted anything, probably because now facebook is all about scrolling past the ads and pages rather than reading what your friends are actually up to. I've had it since 2007 and facebook is trash now. It used to be like an open diary for your friends but it's not like that anymore.

My statuses make me wanna disappear they're so embarrassing. But that was kind of what Facebook was about, as cringeworthy as we were, it was for sharing our thoughts with our friends. Like you say now it's all ads and crappy memes and I only keep it so I can keep in touch with family as we all live quite far apart. Sadly, every social media platform has become the same. On Instagram I don't even see my friend's posts anymore it's just ads and people I don't even follow. Boring and not what it was made for, I'd rather read cringe crap about the weather than see ad after ad.

 

[SareBear]

I used to read so many books and have Def found myself on SM more during the holidays. That's why today, I decided to get rid. Haha.

I’ve just deleted Instagram again and logged out of Facebook.

 

[lilyannrose]

I've not quite taken the final step but I made a big move the other day. I unfollowed all the local groups for my area that I was a member of and the relief!!! They are so toxic, so full of absolutely horrible people who want to just make everyone feel bad in one way or another. I wish I'd quit them sooner, it was so daft I'd hang in there but dread seeing the posts come up in my feed. FOMO is too powerful but I don't think I'm going to miss them now that I've left.

 

[bubbletea123]

Oh I can’t even imagine what it must be like to be exposed to this 24/7 advertising and uber unrealistic body image, not to mention less savoury aspects of the internet. How must it feel to be a kid and stare at a screen as much as kids do these days, instead of going out. Internet is amazing but I’m so happy I grew up on the streets instead of in my room most of the time. I have a nephew, he is an absolute sweetheart, he has an amazing, small park sized garden with a playground etc. and all he wants is to stay inside and watch cartoons or play video games. He’s only 7.

That is sad. We have a friend who's daughter is 16, and we were at there's and she sat on Insta scrolling through looks at "influencers" and "models." so sad.

 

[Suzesnooze]

Oh I can’t even imagine what it must be like to be exposed to this 24/7 advertising and uber unrealistic body image, not to mention less savoury aspects of the internet. How must it feel to be a kid and stare at a screen as much as kids do these days, instead of going out. Internet is amazing but I’m so happy I grew up on the streets instead of in my room most of the time. I have a nephew, he is an absolute sweetheart, he has an amazing, small park sized garden with a playground etc. and all he wants is to stay inside and watch cartoons or play video games. He’s only 7.

I feel very sorry for my children that they're growing up in this age of SM. They don't even talk to friends, they just message. Like when I fancied a boy, you had to actually speak to him on the phone or in person but they don't even ring each other, it's all done through message.

I joined FB years back as I wanted to see what my nephew's girlfriend looked like! I use it to stay in touch with family, it's a way we share photos but at first I was the only one of my siblings on it but they've slowly all joined and now on birthdays a message is posted on FB whereas they used to actually ring and say happy birthday!

 

[lilyannrose]

I think for me it helped growing up without it so I remember life before it. And there is also levels of self control and self awareness that not everyone has to ensure their life doesn't become overcome by it.

Also, we are all still on here which is still basically social media

I was in my mid twenties before it really took off so I'm very grateful for that. I knew not to let stuff like "likes" and "following" and all of that bother me in the slightest. It's always been the toxic posts of others that has driven me away. The biggest failing about SM is it is too large to be moderated even a little bit effectively. If not for that it wouldn't be quite so terrible.

 

[rubyred66]

I use Instagram seeing family photos for finding healthy food ideas but find myself getting annoyed at the big slimming accounts with constant bragging and lies. I use Facebook when I was promoting my business and keeping in touch with friends from the hospital but I didn’t use that as much. I worked in counselling and I’ve volunteered on support lines and I’ve found social media can be very damaging to peoples mental health and relationships if they allow it to get out of control.

 

[Princesspinky]

Hated Facebook it was a bitch fest of older family moaning they don’t see my kids IT WORKS BOTH WAYS!!!!
and whose kids wore the best outfit / have the most fun.
Instagram I have to follow dogs even that’s getting old. My goal this year is to be social media free or an hour a week. Like I talk to nobody I hate people in general. I’ve decided to get my trusty canon out and play with that and I also want to do more walks out I’ve got myself a map and everything.
I got rid of youtube because my kids turned into brats that appreciated nothing I shit you not they thought they could act like YouTube kids and that lasted a week.
Social media depressed me I refuse to let it happen any more.

" I talk to nobody I hate people in general" This is so me

 

[MarthaFarkus]

I wonder if some of the posters on this site kept to their word?

I find Twitter useful to look things up like why is my banking app not working - you can see there is a general problem rather than specific to you. Other than that, I rarely go on Twitter. Also useful for complaining. Unfortunately some companies don’t respond to complaints or don’t handle properly, if you contact them over Twitter they are quick to react. But there is no nuanced debate on them - you are either for or against, no middle ground.

Instagram - never really a poster myself but occasional browser. I hate the rubbish ads, the false photos of people having great lives, the way it has made people into show offs. I rarely check on there.

Facebook - don’t think I have been on it, never felt the need. Tik Tok, not on there.

This site is a real time thief, the interface is so easy to use! And it is so fast moving. I am reducing my usage because I am neglecting stuff. Clean that bathroom, nah go on Tattle. Do life admin, let me just check TL. And I have neglected books, proper reading for pleasure. My attention span is shot. Even watching tv I keep an eye out on here, so rationing my time on here.

I do think social media has had a detrimental effect on society. Everyone wants to be seen, or want to document the fact they had beans on toast for dinner. We are being ruled by our machines!

You’re quite right! I still have all my accounts but dip in and out every so often, I’m not really arsed anymore. You’re right about Tattle too, this takes up far too much of my time.

 

[Spectacles]

Do you remember Facebook back in 2007 where you had network pages? You could chat to others in the network say from your home town etc without being friends. My friend joined the Aussie network before she went travelling there.

 

[Wetmyplants]

Not had Facebook for 5 years or a personal Instagram for a few months now.

Will never reactivate either!

 

[bubbletea123]

I think young people grew up with the internet so while they can be brats (normal, because they’re kids) they are pretty clued on about the public nature of SM.

I am one of those people that was around when SM started, Bebo, MySpace etc. It is crazy how much it has evolved. I am glad IG wasn't around when I was a young teen.

I fucking hate how i feel my shitty little life is so consumed by social media! My kids even ask me when I’m on my phone - are you on Facebook!! It’s ridiculous! I need to get a grip with it all!

Maybe you can delete the apps? I was clicking on them without even really realising what I was doing. It is scary.

 

[bubbletea123]

I feel very sorry for my children that they're growing up in this age of SM. They don't even talk to friends, they just message. Like when I fancied a boy, you had to actually speak to him on the phone or in person but they don't even ring each other, it's all done through message.

I joined FB years back as I wanted to see what my nephew's girlfriend looked like! I use it to stay in touch with family, it's a way we share photos but at first I was the only one of my siblings on it but they've slowly all joined and now on birthdays a message is posted on FB whereas they used to actually ring and say happy birthday!

Yes, I read that teenagers don't even really know how to have a phone call! So bad for social skills. I am glad my childhood was spent outdoors and playing on the street with friends.

 

[Mark81]

Instagram is slowly heading the way of Facebook (mixed with tiktok). I do wonder if in a few years I will still have it.

The other cringe Facebook thing is people treat it like school holiday reports back when we were kids and give way too much info (e.g. I did this, then I did that, then we did this). Or worse, post loads of photos each day they are on holiday