I still haven’t set up a Facebook page for myself. I have my reasons, and I’m interested in comparing my motives with those of other people who have stayed off “THE Social Network”. Here are some articles that came up on a search of “why I’m not on Facebook”, along with my response to them.<\/p>\n
Article 1: <\/a> Article 2: <\/a> Article 3:<\/a> Article 4: <\/a> Article 5: <\/a> Article 6:<\/a> Article 7:<\/a> Article 8:<\/a> Article 9:<\/a>
\nSurveillance by government agencies, especially the US Dept of Homeland Security. (Not impossible; Facebook represents a lot of juicy information concentrated within one data processing system. A ripe target for surreptitious government monitoring, no doubt).<\/p>\n
\nFacebook makes relationships seem easy. But real relationships are hard work; Facebook relationships aren’t real. (Hmm, something to that.)<\/p>\n
\nYou give Facebook your e-mail address, and they make you a spam target. Having the most friends on Facebook becomes a competition. Your private details may not really be private on Facebook. And finally, Facebook is addictive, which makes you waste a lot of time with it. (So, there is a character decay factor, along with the privacy concerns.)<\/p>\n
\nAgain, lots of concerns about privacy and lack thereof once you take the plunge. But, “the Facebook application itself sucks.” (So, Facebook isn’t so good from a geek point of view!)<\/p>\n
\nThe author was formerly an active Facebooker, but left. Facebook mostly became a gossiping tool to extract information about others. It became too complex, and overall became a waste of precious time. (Again, the notion that FB takes up a lot of personal time, and there are better ways to use that time.)<\/p>\n
\nFacebook encourages self-promotion over mutual friendship; it’s mostly a one-way thing. Real friendship is a two-way street. Time spent on Facebook is better spent having real 2-way interactions with real people. (Again, the notion of wasting time; but a narcissistic element too. Is my own blog also a virtual mirror of self-admiration, just like ‘Facey’? I won’t claim total innocence, but I am sincerely trying to share things that seem interesting with the world at large).<\/p>\n
\nMore people seem to use Facebook to complain than to share positive thoughts. Also, there is a feeling of fakeness to Facebook. You have lots of “friends”, but you can’t tell which friends are real and which ones wouldn’t call you back if and when you really need attention. (Again, Facebook seems to be cheapening relationships, and provides a bad substitute for having real friends.)<\/p>\n
\nThe beauty of the internet was that it allowed a lot of versatility and freedom of expression. AOL became popular at first because it took away that freedom, which was too much for a lot of people. AOL is now out of date, and Facebook has taken its place; Facebook is “AOL done right”. It forces everyone into one mold. (I definitely relate to this criticism; I like the idea of designing and customizing my own space on the Internet, and not having to conform to what the masses cling to. Facebook turns its users into “another brick in the wall”. It is way too pre-formatted). <\/p>\n
\nGoogle Plus is better than Facebook. (Well, perhaps — but is it any more “real”, any less narcissistic, any more private and less “conformist” than Facebook?)<\/p>\n