If you've deactivated or deleted Facebook how has it changed your life?

[wichitalinemanswoman]

Just that really, I'm seeing more and more people leave it and just want to know the reasons why. I've deactivated this month as I normally hate it at the end of school term and over the Summer as it's full of lots of showing off so I've deactivated for a while but I'm seeing the benefits of the break as my Fear of Missing Out has decreased a lot.

I have been off facebook about 18 month, it is by far the best thing i ever did.
I don’t feel the constant comparison to all the ‘perfect lives’ that get plastered all over facebook.
And i certainly love the privacy, no one knows a thing about me unless it comes from my own mouth. No assumptions, which i find facebook causes too many of those.
I also love the fact if i want to contact someone, i go see them!

On the verge of quitting - couple of reasons: fomo, the voyeurism but mainly the realisation this week that someone I consider a close friend has restricted me.....she could’ve just not been available/ let the friendship drift but with the fb restriction it was a real sharp slap of an ending. All going to be terribly uncomfortable now too since we have to see each other almost every day🙈.

I deactivated it 18 months ago and it’s changed my life for the better. It’s toxic.

I deleted it completely, 3.5 years ago. No regrets whatsoever.

I get a far superior quality of wasted time here on mumsnet instead (quite recently discovered).

I've never actually deleted it, but first signed up in 2015 (late to the party, when I got my first smartphone) and got bored after a few months. I haven't been on it for about 3 years and have no desire whatsoever to do so.

Maybe I'm not a very sociable person - I'd rather be genuine, close friends with a few people than very superficially with the mum of somebody I used to work with. It might be me just not getting it. I feel the same about Alexa - I just don't see what it actually adds to my quality of life in exchange for all the hassle, time-wasting and privacy concerns that it all costs.

Like PPs, I can't for the life of me imagine what would make people even think to post as photo of their meal or 'check in' to the pub they go to every weekend. If it's your wedding cake - or you're on a once-in-a-lifetime holiday in Texas, have ordered a 'light lunch' and been given a dustbin lid-full, then maybe - but a Big Mac meal or your chippy tea? I don't ponder that much on my own meals, so I really couldn't care less about yours!

I must be a hypocrite, though, as I can't now imagine being without FB-owned WhatsApp!

It’s just so dullsville though isn’t it & if Im going to waste time Id rather go on Mumsnet!

I stopped using it about 4 years ago. Everyone was moaning or boasting. It’s like the worst of everyone all the time. I’d rather be oblivious to how boring everyone is or how thick they are. People must literally take photos thinking to themselves ‘I’ll put that on FB’ without just living.

I've never had a Facebook account. I spend far too much time on MN though

Uh Noseybook
Me and dh deleted at the same tine to be more in the moment with ds. Still have instagram and find myself in control a lot more of what i see on there. Facebook became all adverts and i felt a bit uneasy that i would take about something in the house then an advert for it would pop up on facebook.
Hated saying "i saw that on facebook" during a conversation.
Realised people did without it before! Although, a lot of things are organised through it which annoys me

Haven't left it yet, mainly because of four overseas people for whom it's my main means of contact. Just got one of them onto WhatsApp though. I feel like the main problem is the distortion of my social life - a few people that I really barely know and would happily never see again post a lot and I feel like I know more about their lives than I want to. Whereas dear friends either aren't on it, don't post or seem a bit odd on there. I presume I seem odd on there too.

I deactivated it for around a year. I never used it so the effect was minimal. When I met my fiance I reactivated it as I had quite a lot of family members etc who wanted to be friends. I don't use it much but it can be useful in keeping in contact with people, seeing their photos etc. I'm not on it all day just now and again for a couple of minutes.

I more or less left when my DS was born ... 7 years ago now and never looked back. The paranoia, the upset of seeing particular posts, the unfriending /friending drama I do not miss. I still have an account and am linked to the local gossip board and use the messenger but I literallly have not 1 friend added not even my DH so I don’t see any posts, get any personal notifications and am able to contact through messenger should I feel the need. It’s liberating, go for it!

I used to spend literally hours scrolling through crap
Do it - I don't even miss it!

Like PP has started - EVERYTHING child/baby group/community updates/ maternity baby sales etc seem to be on it!

Perversely, I've used it ALOT more in the last 3 since having kids!

I do not post much myself, but you cannot help but scroll!

I would leave FB in a heart beat but don't know how else I would be updated on local community things!

Any advice on this??

I wanted to reduce my screen time. It helped. I don't miss it, but do miss out on some news. I haven't returned.

I know this is not my thread but out of interest are there many of you that have deleted but made another anonymous account so you can see without being seen?

I am considering deleting it but can't quite. I have seen things on there ruinous to my MH though. I am on a formal site for my work and I have learned masses from it so am reluctant to get rid. It has enhanced and damaged my life in equal measure I feel.

I think you have to come completely off to be free otherwise it's so easy to log back in and get sucked into all the crap again

I literally only use it like an address book. I spend a couple of minutes a week on there?

I am only on it as have friends abroad who use the Messenger bit to keep in touch. Otherwise would come off completely. I unfollow everyone annoying though which means my 'feed' is mainly ads which i ignore- just go on if there is a message really. I would like to come off totally though. I do deactivate and then just check every week or two for messages as well. I don't miss it. I was going on and looking and getting cross with people and it made me feel bad! and like a not nice friend- so better off out of it. Oh don't miss the 'groups' either! - full of drama.

I do go on a lively site called Elefriends run by Mind for mental health though which is loads nicer and surprisingly more positive and much more caring and kind.

lovely not lively!

As for staying in touch - real friends do, and those who don't, don't! - absolutely this. If they're a real friend they'll message you to join them.

Turns out I'm not a jealous/insecure maniac after all - this too. FB pokes that little part of me that asks why someone has met up without me, or why I didn't get invited to the concert etc. I feels very different when someone mentions in conversation they met up with a mutual friend IRL, it doesn't bother me at all.

Im still on FB but only via the web browser & I probably go on once a month to catch up with friends abroad & remind myself why I hate it. I do not miss it one tiny jot.

I was a prolific user, wend "dark" three years ago.

It has no affected my life in any way. Thats how pointless it was. Nodody cared. And what's more, I didn't care either.

I have reopened mine don't post much but follow more community sites which are information only and quite useful