Why I Left Facebook

My first technology action of the new year was to deactivate my Facebook account.  This is something I considered doing for a while but decided that today would be the day to make the move.  I noticed that while I was not very active on Facebook, the action to deactivate my account caused me to pause for a moment.  I wondered what my “friends” would think of my action.  I also wondered how I would get those occasional post out when I did choose to use the service.  I felt an uncomfortable sense of loss when I clicked the button to deactivate my account I noticed myself pausing before I clicked the button.

As I thought about leaving Facebook I examined the ways in which I have used the site.  For the most part I tend to read the posts of others.  I “like” those posts that I find fun or thought provoking and occasionally leave brief comments.  I have never forwarded a Facebook post, and my own posts are typically automated posts from the running application I use.  I also noticed that there were some 30 applications that I had granted permission to post on my behalf.  I don’t know if or when those applications have posted to my account but it certainly made me wonder how there got to be 30 of them.

Over the past year I have learned some interesting things about Facebook and the ways in which I use it.  One of the things that finally struck me is how tools like Facebook can become rather invasive.  We give up a significant amount of our privacy when we use these tools.  Some of what we give up is voluntary when we post messages and perhaps we give up that privacy intentionally.  But we also perhaps lose sight of the fact that often times our posts can and will likely be read by those for whom they were not intended.  This can make for uncomfortable relationships with work colleagues, saddening surprises from close friends, and an awareness of the details of the lives of those you know that you would rather not have.  

Finally, Facebook can create strange obligations.  While I have not received many direct messages, I usually find it odd that people close to me would choose to communicate with me through this method.  While I understand when something is forwarded through Facebook, the messages that strike me as odd are those simply written for me.  Since I was never a regular user of the site I had to be told to go there to get these messages.  Of course, I would be told that either by telephone or email or sometimes face-to-face.  In my mind it just seems that those sentiments could have just as easily been shared in those same face-to-face conversations or the email that advised me of them.

When I deactivated my Facebook account I was given the option to make it temporary.  I did select that option as I have no idea at this point as to whether or not I will someday want to be back on Facebook.  After all, could more than 500 million people be wrong?  And then I ask the question “will anyone miss me on Facebook?”

So let me know your thoughts.  Would you consider leaving Facebook this year?