Permanently deleting your Facebook account: would you ever do it?

Poll

Would you consider deleting it this year?

Edit: for those who have deleted their accounts/don't use FB, sorry for not recognising this in the poll. Although you can vote 'other' at the bottom of the page.

*MOAN ALERT*

I've had a Facebook account for about seven years now. And I wonder - what benefits does it bring. People say the following...

* Events - but can't your friends tell you that by phone, person or text? If they don't tell you, then do you really want to know/go?

*Status updates/pictures - vacuous, self-indulgent and attention seeking. Well, often anyway. If I want to show off a new jumper of tell someone a joke or about a job promotion, why not do it in person to those who want to know?

*Communication - again, what ever happened to actually meeting up, using the phone or texting?

*catching up with old friends - I've added old friends, but I've never bothered meeting up with them due to Facebook. In fact, if they weren't on Facebook, I may have been more likely to find them in other ways (admittedly more difficult)

Inevitably, Facebook results in me wasting my time scrolling through attention-seeking rubbish from people who are my friends. I guess I do it sometimes as well. And there's always people who I want to delete but don't because I haven't got the guts and can't handle the potential butt-hurt it'll result in.

Of course, I am being one-sided, simplistic and generalising and speaking personally. I suspect I am in the minority, but to what extent, I don't know.

What are your thoughts? :smile:

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 1

Catholic_

Deleting Facebook was the best thing I ever did. No more wasting time looking through peoples pictures and absolute strangers, no seeing how great everybody elses life was, no more stupid FB arguments or writing status' for likes, no more comparing my life to everybody elses bloody sad.

FB is turning into a popularity contest. I know people who are getting depressed because of that tripe.

Reply 2

Kangie

I would delete Facebook if I could but I'm scared that I will miss events and such. I hardly ever use my phone so the possibility of someone texting me about an event is very low.
I also use Facebook to message mates about homework or exams etc, if I need to catch up on missed lessons.

Reply 3

Uni Kid

Original post by Catholic_

Agreed.

Reply 4

1501

Deleted it two years ago - no regrets! One of the best decisions I ever made. No more browsing though pointless posts, pretending to care about people I couldn't care less about. It's just a competition based on who has the best picture, who gets the most likes or has more friends, etc.

The people that I need to contact or need to contact me know how to so. People who actually want to get to know you or spend time with you etc etc will make the effort too, not 'beating around the bush' like some 'fake friends' would on fb just for the sake of it/for show/to be 'nice'.

Reply 5

RF_PineMarten

I'd never delete it. Lots of photos and other things on it that I'd like to keep, and it's good for keeping in touch with people (e.g. relatives who live far away, schoolmates after you've left school, etc). I don't post on it a lot but I wouldn't delete it.

Reply 6

missfats

What

You can delete Facebook.

Mines been disactivated for two years now. I want to delete it

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 7

Cremated_Spatula

If it was possible to completely delete it I would but you can only deactivate it.

Reply 8

Enoxial

iirc ypu can't permanently delete your FB, it'll just be deactivated until you log back in again...

Reply 9

ha27

i did because i was so immature and just didnt want it anymore

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 10

MJ1012

No option for those who have already deleted it?

Original post by Cremated_Spatula

If it was possible to completely delete it I would but you can only deactivate it.

I'm pretty sure you can delete it but it's much more complicated.

Reply 11

Cremated_Spatula

Original post by MJ1012

No option for those who have already deleted it?

I'm pretty sure you can delete it but it's much more complicated.

If you say so

Reply 12

queen-bee

I did over a year ago and never looked back

Reply 13

loperdoper

I got FB once, because a friend asked me to. I deactivated it after three days (this was about four years ago now).

I just don't see the point in it tbh, generally I use email to speak to people who I can't contact via twitter/tumblr/text

Reply 14

bittr n swt

Only under extreme circumstances but I have so many contacts...

Reply 15

bumblebee342

Deactivated it years ago. It can be inconvenient at times, but I don't miss it!

Reply 16

treetrunks

Original post by MJ1012

No option for those who have already deleted it?

I'm pretty sure you can delete it but it's much more complicated.

I thought you could deactivate it then after 14 days you could make the choice to permanently delete it? I could be wrong though.

Reply 17

MJ1012

Original post by treetrunks

I thought you could deactivate it then after 14 days you could make the choice to permanently delete it? I could be wrong though.

It's been a while, but that sounds about right.

Reply 18

Uni Kid

Original post by RFowler

You can save your photos. :smile:

I agree that it's good for getting in touch with old friends - but I've done that now, and would just get their e-mail addresses/phone numbers.

Ironically if you ever wanted to get hold of someone, I guess you could use FB via a friend's account. :tongue: