6 Reasons to Quit Facebook

Reasons to Unplug

Updated September 18, 2016

Many people are getting so fed up with the world's largest social network that they wind up quitting Facebook or canceling their accounts, either temporarily or permanently.

Here are a few reasons why you might be driven to close your Facebook account, too.

01
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Facebook Is Stealing Your Privacy

Couple using technologies in bedroom
Portra Images/Getty Images

Fear that your password and other personal data might "accidentally" be shared with unauthorized people could be just the start of Facebook privacy worries. If you're young, imagine how those party photos and flip comments could come back to haunt you. If you're older, how annoying is it to see your pimply adolescent face reappear on Facebook, thanks to the not-so-magical combo of tags and long-lost classmates. And don't forget -- there are real-life stalkers on Facebook, too.

 

Additional reading:
How to Stop Facebook Stalkers

02
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Facebook Addiction

Face it, Facebook can be a major time waste. How much of life do you want to spend lost in the daily dramas of people you barely know? It's easy to get sucked into reading trivial updates from Facebook friends and checking out people you wish you knew better. Before you know it, the social network owns your personal time clock as well as your privacy. You just may be addicted to Facebook.

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Facebook Owns Your Data

Facebook makes clear in its Terms of Service that you are surrendering ownership rights to the intellectual property (i.e., your updates and photos) that you upload to your little area of the world's largest social network.

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Facebook Inadequacy

When it seems like all your Facebook friends are having more fun and leading more exciting lives than you, it may be time to unplug from the social network for a while. Best to take a break before Facebook-induced feelings of social inadequacy spiral out of control.

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Facebook Anxiety

It can get stressful worrying about whether to ignore, reject or accept all those friend requests from people you don't really like. Compound that with people you do like asking you to answer trivia questions, pass along chain-mail quizzes, attend virtual events or attend real-life events and the result can be high Facebook anxiety.

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Facebook Overload

Facebook can overwhelm you with trivial facts about what your 750 "friends" supposedly are doing. Try as you might, you can't figure out how to tweak your Facebook news feed to make your daily stream of updates anything less than spam. You may be suffering from "FO," commonly known as Facebook Overload.

So...Are You Ready to Delete Facebook?

The six examples above are just a few of the many reasons why people decide to take Facebook holidays or even to file for a divorce from the social network. Typically, it's about regaining control of their non-virtual lives.

If you wind up feeling like you can't take Facebook anymore, the following articles might help you decide what to do: