The news of the Cambridge Analytica scandal has led a number of my friends, no longer comfortable with the amount of data amassed about them, to declare that they are leaving Facebook.  People exiting certain social media platforms or abstaining for extended periods of time isn’t new.  For years now, I’ve seen posts from acquaintances stating that they are dissatisfied with what Facebook has become or how it’s affecting their lives.  It seems most of them usually return eventually.  It’s hard to free oneself of social media these days.  Everyone uses it.  It’s how we stay apprised of happenings in each others’ lives, spread information about events, and even learn about breaking news.

While concerns about privacy are understandable, there are also other legitimate reasons for all of us to examine our use of social media, and mobile devices more broadly.  Research suggests that heavy use of social networking sites and apps is linked to feelings of social isolation and depression.  Constantly checking our phones for notifications and scrolling mindlessly through news feeds stifles our creativity.  Our use of social media can also effect our self-esteem.

When I first learned of Facebook circa 2005, I thought it seemed like a silly waste of time that I’d never use.  I resisted joining for a while.  I had a MySpace account that I rarely checked, and I could talk to my friends virtually with AOL Instant Messenger.  I didn’t have a smartphone on which to receive and send constant updates.  I didn’t even text regularly until about 2007.  So it shouldn’t be hard for me to picture a life without social media; like most people, I lived such a life not all that long ago.

But these platforms have become so ubiquitous that it’s difficult to imagine going back to the way things once were.  We rely so heavily on social media, texting, and messaging apps to stay in touch, and small businesses count on social media platforms for marketing.  (This blog exists solely on the internet, and most of its traffic comes via Facebook links.)

I admittedly check Facebook more than I probably should, though I’ve cut back on my time online since having a baby, in part because he demands a good bit of attention and in part because I want to be as present with him as possible.  I think I’m more relaxed and content when I check social media less often.  My attention is pulled in fewer directions.  I read more books and articles based on my own interests and curiosity rather than being led toward whatever is trending.  I feel less inclined to over-commit myself thanks to diminished FOMO.

Still, if I were to eliminate social media from my life entirely, I’d lose a certain sense of connectedness.  I’d have to work harder to keep up with the lives of friends and family and maintain relationships — which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  I’d have to pick up the phone more often to learn what was happening in their lives.  But there’s no practical way to do this for the hundreds of people with whom I’m connected on Facebook, so I’d inevitably cease to have any contact at all with numerous acquaintances and weaker ties.  Maybe it’s ok to let those connections go, but I do value hearing about their lives from time to time.

Facebook isn’t solely about keeping up with people, either.  There are a few people I’ve come to know much better through online exchanges after having met them only once or twice in person, or never meeting them at all (some of my biological relatives, for example).  And I’ve recently come to appreciate the community that can be found in online parenting groups.  I never expected to join one, but alas, I did, and I’m finding that these groups can be an incredibly helpful source of advice and commiseration.

I also think I’d be putting myself in a bit of a bubble if I removed myself from social media, as I’d be less likely to learn of important social issues and read varying viewpoints about them.  That might facilitate a sort of ignorant bliss (who doesn’t want a little less controversy in her life?), but I’m not sure I want to be ignorant.  Would I hear about major news and debates eventually through other sources?  Probably, but not as quickly and perhaps not as thoroughly.

So I have conflicting feelings about social media (and Facebook in particular, which is my social-network-of-choice).  I don’t intend to deactivate my account any time soon, but I think it’s healthy for all of us to ask how we are using social media and how it is using us.  And limiting our use or taking a break from time to time is probably a good idea.

How does social media benefit or detract from your life?  Has news of privacy breaches caused you to rethink your use of social media platforms?

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