Deleting my Facebook

[woodland_poet]

Anybody else done this? I am about to do it

I realised its only a platform for my own vanity and others’ too. And I don’t ever speak to people, and hardly know most of them anymore!

I keep in touch with other pro-lifers and share pro-life news with Catholics and Christians across the country, so no, there is no way at this time I would get rid of my facebook.

 

[Vanny]

I honestly wasn’t interested in getting a facebook account but I do have one because my two teenage sons each have one. It was either get an account myself and make them friend me or have access to their logins/passwords. This way I can keep track of what they are posting, who their friends are, ect, what pictures they post, ect.
I have instructed the boys to be very careful about what they post, and to keep their privacy controls set at the highest fb allows. Not to click on links or ads(due to imbedded viruses) and never to post anything on there that they wouldn’t want a potential employer or college admin to see. And never to friend anyone they don’t know.
Also not to give out any personal info including full birthdate.
We do have a good anti-virus software that we keep updated but you can still get a virus if you are not careful. My oldest son hasn’t been posting as much on his as he used to.
I do like the aspect of keeping in touch with some cousins and friends I haven’t seen for decades-
but I agree I’ve seen some people post way TMI things on there.

 

[Joe_5859]

I honestly wasn’t interested in getting a facebook account but I do have one because my two teenage sons each have one. It was either get an account myself and make them friend me or have access to their logins/passwords. This way I can keep track of what they are posting, who their friends are, ect, what pictures they post, ect.
I have instructed the boys to be very careful about what they post, and to keep their privacy controls set at the highest fb allows. Not to click on links or ads(due to imbedded viruses) and never to post anything on there that they wouldn’t want a potential employer or college admin to see. And never to friend anyone they don’t know.
Also not to give out any personal info including full birthdate.
We do have a good anti-virus software that we keep updated but you can still get a virus if you are not careful. My oldest son hasn’t been posting as much on his as he used to.
I do like the aspect of keeping in touch with some cousins and friends I haven’t seen for decades-
but I agree I’ve seen some people post way TMI things on there.

It sounds like you have set some good ground rules for FB useage.

Just FYI, it is possible to place certain friends on a list where you can exclude which parts of your profile they can see (and which postings they see). I’m not saying that your kids would do this, but it is possible for a kid to post things on their wall and make it so that their parents can’t see it.

 

[Vanny]

Thanks Joe-yes I had heard something about that.
My kids know now that they are on the honor system-meaning I trust them now but if I ever find out that they are misusing that trust-computer priveledges may be suspended-except for homework.

 

[Kearney]

I love Facebook. Its a great way to stay in touch with friends, both old and new. Plus I use it as an outlet for my amatur photography.
It sounds just silly to degrade something as wonderful and innovative as FB as “vanity”. If you take these qualms of yours to their logical conclusions then you wouldn’t communicate with anyone or ask how they were doing because of the fear of appearing vain or gossiping. Why not also destroy all pictures of yourself because photo’s betray a persons vanity?

What are we Catholics, or Amish?

 

[maggiedoc]

I joined FaceBook to keep in touch with my kids, nieces and nephews, all young adults. They post photos and videos that I would otherwise miss, especially pics of the darling granddaughter! I don’t join groups or go to other venues, and I delete any friends who are inappropriate. That way I can look at FB once every 1-3 days and not waste time.

 

[Suni_Moon]

Well, if it makes you feel better to do so, then that’s what’s good for you.
However, to view facebook as the root of any problem would be just plain silly.
I avoided facebook like the PLAGUE up until this summer, because I didn’t want to get sucked in.

But finally I got one, because it was the easiest way for me to keep in touch with the friends I had made this summer, in my acting classes.
And after making an account I was also able to reconnect with people I’d lost contact with… I was even able to find someone who I’d lost virtually all contact info for, and being able to chat and plan things with her again was splendid.

Facebook can be addicting, but that does not make it evil. All that means is that you need to practice some self control… And, perhaps, if deleting it is the best form of self control you have… Then by all means, do so.

But overrall, facebook is no more than another tool that can be used in many ways. How you choose to use it? That’s the question you should be asking.

 

[luvzminis]

I can relate to the OP, though I have not had my personal Facebook page; just posted on a couple of them belonging to friends, Drew Mariani, certain products I’ve asked for samples, etc… I just cancelled yesterday. Why? It seems as though all they do is collect info on you there. They have a record of every single thing you’ve ever posted. I don’t have negative posts or anything, but I find it creepy that I’m being followed that closely. I’ll continue to read the posts where I used to post my comments, but will use e-mail to keep in touch instead of posting there… Just don’t fully trust this stuff. Yeah–just creepy!

 

[JVSantos]

there’s nothing wrong with Facebook if you use it smartly, for those who think it’s a privacy risk…think again. If you have a SSS # and a Driver Lic. anybody can find you. If you post anywhere in the Internet, there a way to find your IP address, info, etc. Most of everything you do on your computer can be retrieve even if you already deleted the file. The only way you can make sure no one get info from your hard drive is to drill multiple holes in your hard disk drive.

 

[luvzminis]

there’s nothing wrong with Facebook if you use it smartly, for those who think it’s a privacy risk…think again. If you have a SSS # and a Driver Lic. anybody can find you. If you post anywhere in the Internet, there a way to find your IP address, info, etc. Most of everything you do on your computer can be retrieve even if you already deleted the file. The only way you can make sure no one get info from your hard drive is to drill multiple holes in your hard disk drive.

I agree there are other ways that risk privacy, but I still find Facebook too creepy. I mean, why would there ever need to be a record of every little sample I’ve ordered, every thing I’ve “liked” on Facebook, every little ‘everyday’ comment made, etc. Nope–just don’t like that. I do see your point, though.

 

[exoflare]

I agree there are other ways that risk privacy, but I still find Facebook too creepy. I mean, why would there ever need to be a record of every little sample I’ve ordered, every thing I’ve “liked” on Facebook, every little ‘everyday’ comment made, etc. Nope–just don’t like that. I do see your point, though.

THANK YOU :clapping:

And then on top of that there’s all the unspoken peer pressure that you’re supposed to constantly update everyone on the same kind of trivial garbage yourself. Then if you don’t that means you’re being “antisocial” or not “contributing” (lol) or even worse people start to label you a creeper and assume you’re only on there to stalk people.

I’m still on it reluctantly since it’s the only way I have of contacting certain people if I need to, but I think pretty soon I will just save their real contact info myself so I can finally delete the fb account. It’s really just not worth it.

 

[exoflare]

And then there’s this.

techcrunch.com/2010/08/26/trademark-face/

 

[Patrick_Cox]

Yeah this is basically my stance.

I was using Facebook to check up on people, gossip, etc. And I knew it was wrong and silly.

Most of all, I hate what it has become. Most of my friends are 18-22 and secular in a big way, so statuses and photos were pretty much disgusting (really). People were posting basically naked photos, group orgy type photos, statuses about the Pope being a pervert, and generally stuff that I thought “wait, why am I even reading this?”. I had over 400 friends, half of whom I wouldn’t stop to have a conversation with. It was ridiculous.

I agree, to keep in contact with family and good friends in may be good, but even then, really? We have email and cellphones for those people. I may start a new account in a few months or a year when I decide to leave South Africa. But for now I really don’t want it.

Also, the more I used Facebook the more I started disliking the people I knew. As someone posted, the internet gives people license to go wild in a way. It’s like you can have two personalities and nobody questions it! Even I was doing it man! I had a group of friends that would post these immature little things on each others walls literally 15 times a day and it made me angry! I had friends who would say horrible things on their status’s. I dunno. I just felt like Facebook wasn’t a good part of my life; I needed to cut it off because it was a disease. And to be honest I think it is a disease for most people, this sudden new narccissism - everybody wants to know what you think or what you do and 90% of photos are of yourself posing. I mean come on, its Generation Y, we take nice things and abuse them, what else can you expect!

I think the crux for many people is simply being a lot more discerning in who you allow / choose as a friend on Facebook.

There are a lot of people out there who don’t want to look like Norman-No-Mates, by having just 10 or 20 friends, so they become friends with any Tom, Dick or Harriet they have ever met in order to show the world they have 500 friends. It has become a social stigma for so many people to have loads of friends on Facebook.

If you genuinely befriend (in Facebook terms) only those people who mean something to you, you should go a long way to eliminating the gossip and the nasty side of Facebook, and it can indeed become a wonderful tool to keep in touch and share photos with family and friends in other parts of the world.

But like so many things, Facebook DOES require self-discipline, so if we find ourselves struggling to exercise that self-discipline (in whatever way), then perhaps it is indeed best to eliminate the temptation entirely.

PS NewstheMan - why leave South Africa? It is the most fantastic place on earth!

 

[luvzminis]

Another reason FaceBook turns me off: Just heard this yesterday. They have joined with a group (I believe it’s GLAAD(?)) to “end hate speech and antigay bullying” by deleting any comments opposing homosexuality. Don’t know when this goes into effect, though.

That would be fine if it’s what it is on the surface. But we all know, I think, that this is nothing more than a PC agenda. To them, ANY disagreement with the homosexual lifestyle, including religious beliefs is “hate speech” and “bullying.” I certainly don’t see them ending hate speech and antiChristian bullying! Selective outrage, and another reason to dump them, IMO.

 

[luvzminis]

I think the crux for many people is simply being a lot more discerning in who you allow / choose as a friend on Facebook.

There are a lot of people out there who don’t want to look like Norman-No-Mates, by having just 10 or 20 friends, so they become friends with any Tom, Dick or Harriet they have ever met in order to show the world they have 500 friends. It has become a social stigma for so many people to have loads of friends on Facebook.

If you genuinely befriend (in Facebook terms) only those people who mean something to you, you should go a long way to eliminating the gossip and the nasty side of Facebook, and it can indeed become a wonderful tool to keep in touch and share photos with family and friends in other parts of the world.

But like so many things, Facebook DOES require self-discipline, so if we find ourselves struggling to exercise that self-discipline (in whatever way), then perhaps it is indeed best to eliminate the temptation entirely.

PS NewstheMan - why leave South Africa? It is the most fantastic place on earth!

Very true!

For myself, I intend to send Facebook a message that I don’t care for how they run their site, as I’ve mentioned above. That’s the key reason I, personally, am bailing out of Facebook.

 

[luvzminis]

THANK YOU :clapping:

And then on top of that there’s all the unspoken peer pressure that you’re supposed to constantly update everyone on the same kind of trivial garbage yourself. Then if you don’t that means you’re being “antisocial” or not “contributing” (lol) or even worse people start to label you a creeper and assume you’re only on there to stalk people.

I’m still on it reluctantly since it’s the only way I have of contacting certain people if I need to, but I think pretty soon I will just save their real contact info myself so I can finally delete the fb account. It’s really just not worth it.

I think, too, that we need to be aware that our time could be better used. How much time do people spend on trivial things on Facebook? Could you be doing a holy hour or praying instead?? Satan loves to steal our time, I’ve seen. And I speak for myself here: I need to constantly guard the ways I spend my day. Which reminds me–better got off the computer…

 

[luvzminis]

And then there’s this.

techcrunch.com/2010/08/26/trademark-face/

Yep–methinks they’re getting too big for their britches.

Love that oh-so-flattering picture of Nancy P., BTW!

 

[Jersey_Jeepster]

Facebook can be a good source to keep in contact with distant and/or long-lost loved ones and friends. But, I think that a lot of people who use Facebook to publish a status everyday, even multiple times a day, are in need of constant reinforcement or approval of their life.

Some of the status updates are really mundane, silly stuff. I really don’t care about someone’s agonizing decision on whether to eat a corn or bran muffin for breakfast.

I use my Facebook page as a central place to read about things that interest me. So, I have “friended” or “liked” EWTN, Father Corapi, music accounts, news accounts, sports accounts, and the like. So, my Facebook page is like a homepage for all the news and interests I want to read about.

I never provide a status update of my own. I mean, has life become so boring that we all need to discuss how a missing argyle sock is causing you curiosity and wonderment?

I don’t use it as a social tool very much.

 

[Joe_5859]

But, I think that a lot of people who use Facebook to publish a status everyday, even multiple times a day, are in need of constant reinforcement or approval of their life.

There can be that element present for some, but I think some people (especially writers) simply enjoy putting their witticisms down on paper (or, in this case, on their “wall”).

Also, I think once you get into the habit of posting status updates frequently, you start to think in terms of status updates. Something happens in your day-to-day life and you think, “Hey, that would make a good status update!”

Of course, whenever I have such thoughts, they dissipate by the time I am actually in front of a computer. So I almost never post any status updates. If I had an iPhone or something, perhaps things would be different.

 

[Janet1983]

Facebook can be a good source to keep in contact with distant and/or long-lost loved ones and friends. But, I think that a lot of people who use Facebook to publish a status everyday, even multiple times a day, are in need of constant reinforcement or approval of their life.

Yes, Facebook can be a very good source to stay in contact. I am an army wife and I was raised outside of the US. Consequently I frequently move, as do my friends. My family is on a different continent, my husbands family is once across the nation (some to the west and some to the north) and most of my friends are distributed all over the planet ranging anywhere from Korea and Japan to Belgium and Germany. Some of them are even active duty and deployed to Kuwait, Iraq or Afghanistan… All the others are scattered over the US, some being stationed somewhere, some being retired, some having become National Guard or Reserves, etc.
A couple of my friends are living in the same city I am in and still they know what is going on because I post on Facebook. I only see them on Sunday and on Wednesday…
I post whenever there is something important I would want my family and/or friends to know. That can be once a week, once a day and in some rare cases I update my status again on the same day. Having such a vast array of areas where my friends are, makes Facebook a blessing for me. I never add anybody I don’t know outside of Facebook and I don’t play any games on Facebook. I consider Facebook to be a very good tool to stay in contact.

Some of the status updates are really mundane, silly stuff. I really don’t care about someone’s agonizing decision on whether to eat a corn or bran muffin for breakfast.

I heard about that… though none of my friends actually does that.

I use my Facebook page as a central place to read about things that interest me. So, I have “friended” or “liked” EWTN, Father Corapi, music accounts, news accounts, sports accounts, and the like. So, my Facebook page is like a homepage for all the news and interests I want to read about.

I did that too, though only in a limited form. I do however post links to news that I think might be interesting for my friends.

I never provide a status update of my own. I mean, has life become so boring that we all need to discuss how a missing argyle sock is causing you curiosity and wonderment?

No, such mundane status updates aren’t really necessary either. A couple of days ago I updated my status saying that I did sit-ups. I know who my audience is and my friends know that I have been struggling with that exercise for years now and I have worked out towards being able to get at least one done (don’t ask me why… I am very fit otherwise). Now I can do 17 in a row and I am still working on it.