It seems like every few months, I come back to the question, 'why am I still on Facebook?'
At times it feels like one of those damned if you do, damned if you don't situations.
It has become such a ubiquitous source of information, sometimes it's the only place to find the results of local events and even sometimes to contact people and organizations you want to get in touch with.
It is often the most effective means to disseminate information if you're a band or a sports club or a community group because the potential reach is unparalleled (not to mention free).
My own use of Facebook has evolved a lot over the years, but more and more, I find myself just wanting to wash my hands of it altogether.
The last time I wrote about it, I was lamenting the proliferation of deepfake videos. It's gotten to the point that it's hard to trust anything you see. Even innocent posts of say, a painting, and the accusations of it being AI-generated start to fly.
And, of course, the political vitriol, misrepresentation and outright lies are astonishing.
Increasingly, I find myself asking 'what value am I getting out of this?'
Increasingly, the answer is very little to none.
At one time, I felt like it was a nice way to keep up with distant friends, but those posts are so few and far between now, lost in the endless string of sponsored posts (advertising) and algorithm-driven "suggestions," I'm probably not really keeping up with anything.
Even the groups I belong to that I found educational and/or entertaining seem to have taken a far back seat to the inanity of reels and "stories" that clog up my "news" feed.
Occasionally, I end up scrolling for a few minutes and once in a while even find myself mildly amused, but ultimately it is an empty, unfulfilling activity.
Still, I have yet to find the impetus to hit the delete button.
I wish I knew how to quit you, Facebook.
