For quite some years I have an account on Facebook and during those years I was an active poster and debater. Maybe it is me, but I feel that Facebook has changed. Or more precise, the community behind Facebook has changed.
Many, maybe even most, of the ongoing discussions seems to be without any respect any more. If someone doesn’t agree with you, then that seems to be a good reason to flame that person or even insult him or her. Haters seems to fill up the pages.
Pages that were at first interesting, turned into places full with conspiracy theories and extreme opinions. I noticed how I left already many pages that I really liked before.
Already some years ago I stopped placing photo’s of people on Facebook (or anywhere else on the Internet). I witnessed how profile pictures, vacation photo’s and other photo’s placed on the Internet were used for identity theft involving someone I know.
Only exception here are people who seek publicity as politicians and artists for example.
But the thing is that it has become clear that nowadays you have to careful with what you post on Facebook. Stay away from anything that may used against you. Stay away from really private related matters.
So slowly Facebook turned in a place for vacations pictures and things that really don’t matter. And is that what I really want? No.
And that all drew me back to my blog that still hanging around, not used very often for some time. But I have a feeling that will change….
No, I will not leave Facebook, but I think my presence there will become less and less.
I know exactly what you mean, Rob.
Facebook has lost it for me as well. I am tired of the rude comments and insult just because you hold another opinion. I am tired of the advertisements that gets pushed upon you. Tired of the security issues I hear all the time about. Tired of the privacy threat Facebook has become.
I rather hang around on the “digital meeting place” that you created for us and our closest friends, where can discus anything we like, knowing that everything is very secured stored.
To be honest, I am very close to deactivating my Facebook account.