Why I Left Facebook

It was a difficult decision to leave Facebook this week.  I do stay in touch with select family and friends but I found the social app too littered with posts, updates, and ads I simply didn’t want to read.  Instead of waiting a while and pondering the decision, I posted of my departure and decided to cut myself off from Facebook and remove my account.  Anyone who has also gone down this path knows that by default, Facebook allows you to deactivate your account but retain all of your content.  It took a bit of extra searching in order to permanently delete my account but I found it without much of a struggle.  Once marked for permanent deletion, Facebook still retains your account for two weeks and if you login within that time-frame, your account is automatically restored.

I began to break the news to some friends and they thought I was crazy.  I mentioned my increased usage in Twitter, Twitpic, this blog, Linked-In, etc.. and how I wanted to spend what little free time I had working more towards professional social networking with occasional personal messaging.  Friend ‘A’ told me they couldn’t live without Facebook and their social life depended on it.  Friend ‘B’ was dissappointed because we had begun to use Facebook primarily as an email system where 2-4 of us could simply reply-all and span conversations.  Obviously email can handle that so why use a social app?  I wonder how many people use Facebook as a primary email-like messaging system?  I do understand friend ‘A’ because of the type of user they are.  They frequent the integrated applications, games, etc.. and aren’t afraid to let the world know when they just watered their crops or they lost a cow.  If you use Facebook you know what I mean.  Friend ‘B’ and I have a workaround… it’s called email.

What I’m waiting for now is a more serious and personal social networking tool to arrive that is more secure by default and built for families and close friends.  One of the innovative features would be a shared and integrated calendar that allows members to see private events and happenings going on for the family.  Your calendar can be selectively shared with individual members as you choose.  I think the primary audience to this social tool will be families simply due to the growing global economy.  More and more families are relocating domestically and internationally and want the right front end to share their lives.  So much of our current social media is public information that it makes it difficult for families to share their lives securely and have fun doing it.  I’m hoping someone out there either has already designed a web-app similar to what I’m dreaming up or will in the near future.  In one brainstorming session you could come up with all of the initial deliverables needed for this project.  If you were separated from your closest family, what would you want to share and know about them?  The weather where they are?  Recent pics they’ve taken and where they took them?  As mentioned above, a shared calendar of events that one-another may want to be aware of could be beneficial as well as micro-blog posts, instant messaging with video conferencing, etc..   I’m sure I could think of more.  How many armed forces people overseas would use such an app (if security allowed)?  How many families who relocated for new jobs or because they had to due to lack of jobs?  Unless I’m crazy, there’s a major market here and it’s going to continue to grow.

I’ve sailed a bit off course but to summarize, I’ll post some links below regarding Facebook and account deletion or removal.  Facebook is a fun social tool and it’s a step above MySpace.  In no way is this blog meant to bash the application or users of Facebook.  People jump on a tool when it comes out.  They convince others to follow and in a minimal amount of time, millions of users collaborate.  How often do we take ourselves off autopilot and say, “Wait a second, is this app really providing the features and functionality I need?” and/or “This social tool would really be helpful if it could do this ________________________.”  If you find yourself using a tool on autopilot, it may be in your best interest to #1 check your profile security, #2 ask yourself if you’re receiving what you need from the tool, #3 MAKE SURE you are using the tool the way YOU want to, not the way they want you to.  Voice your requests or concerns to the vendor.  Have an idea?  Submit an enhancement request.  Enough voices will most likely equal either an enhancement or aide a competitor who’s planning out the next social collaboration tool.