To ask those who left social media...

[Emlou07]

Anyone who has taken a social media hiatus or permanent leave, how did you find it? What did you do to occupy your free time? Do you miss it? Do you feel better for it?

ChanandlerBongsNeighbour
My Mumsnet and eBay usage have significantly increased since leaving Facebook!
THIS^^ IN SPADES!

Best thing I ever did ! Not been on any social media for 11 months now ! Mumsnet is my one and only vice .

I read books lol and a lot of news apps. It’s been two years it’s bloody fantastic.

I'd like to come off fb but feel it's how I connect with the local community and area I live in. I worry I'd quickly be out of touch and that we'd miss out socially on stuff. It's quite a useful network for me (I live abroad) but all the crap people post bores me to tears these days.

I too think that fb has peaked. Though I'm also fascinated to see what comes next. Social media has changed so much about daily life, I can't imagine what will happen in the next few years. Interesting times!

how did you communicate locally and with friends and family prior to Facebook then.... it's not the only means of communicating.. you'll be fine without FB... it's not a legal requirement

Never been on FB. Occasionally use Twitter - mainly for news. News seems to break their first, or to complain to somebody. They react quickly if you name and shame on Twitter. Follow Trinny Woodall on Instagram but rarely view the posts. Don't really know what snapchat and what's up are.

Have never used Facebook and use twitter mainly for work. Mumsnet is my vice. But seeing that I managed to survive without a television for over 25 years I expect I would be able to bear up. I'd miss the old vipers though.

I decided to come off FB for the sake of my mental health and it's been great. I never felt good about myself when using Facebook- I always subconsciously compared myself to others' posts and it made me feel awful. I deactivated my account about 2 years ago but opened another account with a slightly different name and use this one purely for local groups like the school, gym etc so I don't miss what's going on. I don't have any friends on it at all. All my real life friends know I've done this and I feel I connect better with them when I see them as I don't know what they've been up to already on Facebook.
As others have said I now use MN more but I feel this is so much better than FB.

I am torn on Facebook.

I don't have too many stupid friends who post "aren't I great?" photos. I am an immigrant, so I like to be able to keep in touch with people back home - they can see how my kids are doing and I can see theirs. I have had numerous positive experiences.

When I realise that someone is annoying I either unfriend or unfollow.

But I am sick of the adverts and promoted posts full of click bait. I am sick of the upsetting news stories being shared. Sometimes that gets really negative.

I play with my daughter instead, go on Mumsnet and Ebay. Sylvanian families and buying/selling shit is so much more fun and satisfying than listening to the same old bullshit on Facebook day in day out.

I think Facebook is on it's way out now TBH.

I would like to come off FB but everyone assumes you're on it now. As an example, to refer to my username, local parkruns announce on Facebook if they've cancelled an event at the last minute or if there is a special event eg for their 300th event. If I wasn't on FB I'd miss those announcements, some have Twitter as well but it would be difficult.

There are local groups too. I can find out why the traffic is horrendous or might get a heads-up that there are traffic lights somewhere in town causing problems, or if I need a plumber or an electrician I can find recommendations. Someone asked above what did people do before FB - well they either had friends they asked, or they used the Yellow Pages. I don't have a wide circle of local friends so I'd have to use trade directories etc, it's much better to be able to ask for recommendations.

I don't follow people, so I don't see silly comments or showing off.

And I have friends who live overseas and it's an easy if lazy way to keep in touch. Although email and phone exist!

On balance I'll stay on it, but on my own terms. And that's all anyone needs to do. Make it work for you.

I hate the trending topics. Wish I could turn that off. Same on Twitter.

I'm still on FB but I'm slowly weaning myself off it. Instead of checking it every 2 minutes I'm down to twice a day. There's just too many adverts for schizz I'm not interested in buying, too many schmaltzy "share if your Dad was a hardworking man" type of posts. I've got a Twitter account but long ago decided I just didn't "get" Twitter so I never go on it. I've never even looked at Instagram or Snapchat. Unfortunately though MumsNet has taken over my life since I joined in the summer 😂😂😂

I deleted my account in the Summer, don't miss it at all. I remain in touch with the people I want to be in touch with.

Having a Facebook account was useful as a signing in tool all across the internet though. I'm rubbish at remembering passwords.

I deleted all social media about a month ago and it has made me feel better.

I didn’t have contact with any ‘friends’ on there I speak to my friends on WhatsApp and I don’t need to see people posting complete rubbish about how wonderful their lives are when I know the real truth!!

Well we live abroad and haven't been here that long so fb is a great way to see what's going on locally. I work ft so don't get the opportunity to meet non-work people very much but feel I have good access to local events and groups via fb.

Such a good idea to just have a fb account for groups etc.

Ditched Fakebook a couple of years ago, read things online, mumsnet, news, talk to people.

Came off Facebook in September 2017. Missed it for a week. Now I don’t even think about it. Never done Twitter.

Contact my friends using WhatsApp and avid user of Pinterest and YouTube. There is a fantastic Youtuber who I watch called Jessica, who is a deaf (and has many other health issues) lady but who talks about vintage style/ her life etc. (she dresses like a forties starlet ) Just been watching her wedding video to her now-wife Claudia. I find her great entertainment and she presents as a lovely person.

Honestly - in hindsight now, I wish I’d never started any accounts on social media. I think of all of the pictures and messages that they now own which are on there. Shudder. (Not that my life is of particular interest btw)

I deleted FB and cut way down on my MN useage last week. I’ve been reading books instead.