I am beginning my preparations to leave Facebook and with that Messenger. I’d like to leave LinkedIn as well.
Facebook used to be a place where I would learn what family and friends were up to, comment on their antics, and share information. I haven’t posted there for at least a year and as others have too failed to post there has been an increase in advertisements and another type of content that I can’t even categorise. Even without the background of AI, I can’t tell how much of it is real or just a bizarre kind of entertainment.
Facebook’s other problems are well known. Insidious tracking across the web, megalomanic ownership, fake news and breaches of trust. I have stayed mostly because there are some Messenger groups I (thought I) needed but with the recent drastic change in content I’m out. Killing facebook also means killing Messenger which is a bit awkward. I need to convince my immediate family to move to Signal.
I have already deleted a lot of connections on LinkedIn. Once a place where you could network it’s now a platform for people to crow loudly about how good they are. It’s the online equivalent of real estate brochures in the letterbox. If you’re there and have a decent blog, let me know and I’ll follow it. I can’t filter your LinkedIn posts from the slop.
I don’t want to cut off contact from people. You never know when you need to reach out to someone so I’m planning an exit. My Mastodon community has suggested some steps to take. Scozmos suggested a pinned post with forwarding details so I’ll set that up over the weekend and then I’ll reach out to individuals on Messenger and LinkedIn that I’d like to keep a contact with and invite them to find me on Signal or on Mastodon if they don’t have my mobile number.
The first step has been taken. I’ve removed the Facebook app from the front screen of my phone. Won’t delete it until I’m sure I can without login consequences.