Do you have a tripwire that stops you using social media platforms?
In 2015, I stopped using my personal Twitter because it was a distraction. Exported my tweets, deleted the account.
In 2017, I stopped using Facebook. On top of the overall climate of venom and disinformation, the excessive detail about people’s political opinions and various doings became too toxic.
In 2021, I stopped using Instagram. All that pandemic time, with experiences (my own, my friends) mediated by images. Too many creepy ads for products that came up in casual verbal conversation the day before. I stopped wanting to look at things through that window.
In 2023, will I stop using my business Twitter account? I’m not particularly engaged, but even that little bit of attention I help divert seems likely to be complicit with something that disgusts me.
At least LinkedIn seems tenable enough (so far)!
Regardless, I’m not arrogant enough to think my departures matter or naive enough to think I’m ever free from complicity as a user/consumer. It’s just a question of whether a line feels crossed.
