#DeleteFacebook
Sometimes the universe works in mysterious ways. I’m publishing a book soon (stay tuned) and have been faced with the decision about opening up a Facebook account to promote it. I’m told I’m toast if not present there. I’ve never been on Facebook, and my life works just fine, thank you. But still, the draw of what everyone thinks left me with a “do I or don’t I?” niggle. For most of my life, someone saying everyone’s doing it was the catalyst to go the opposite direction. My sister calls it going left when everyone goes right. But still, I hemmed and hawed.
Then a synchronistic story in a newsletter from our client at Zapnito came across my desk. Susanna Kempe’s article is compelling. She’s daring us all to #DeleteFacebook, and I felt like the universe was reminding me to follow my heart.
The next day, my Associated Press mobile app popped out a story entitled “From Toast of Town to Toxic: Facebook CEO on Outs with Dems.” As if I needed more evidence to support my desire to remain off this platform. And while the stories pile up about fake news, the threat to democracy, a break with needed content moderators, inability to manage our personal data (remember passwords in Excel and Cambridge Analytica), the threat of regulation, indiscriminate use of ad targeting that fostered discrimination, and on and on, Facebook reports strong earnings and keeps its coffers overflowing.
Then the final straw came yesterday when my husband, without knowing I was about to write this post, sent me this article about Woz suggesting people get off Facebook.
One of my mentors at my first job at Dataquest said that when you have an “n” of three, you have the makings of a trend. He didn’t suggest it was statistically valid but said it was enough to follow a hunch. There was something there. And so, I figured, if the universe was presenting me with Facebook stories quite out of the blue over three days, then it was talking to me, and I had to listen.
So I shared the following with the production company working with me:
No to Facebook. Just decided it’s a non-starter for me. Promised an answer and wanted to close off. I’m about to write a blog post about getting off Facebook. Steve Wozniak mentioned as much yesterday. I just have to walk the talk…. I promised you closure on the “social question” and just realized I couldn’t live with myself if I put myself on Facebook while I’m asking executives to close their accounts. Thanks!
And so, I’m staying off. I’d rather sell fewer books, network the old-fashioned way, or rely on people I know and trust than put myself on a platform whose values I fundamentally disagree with.
If Woz can get off, and Ms. Kempe and her foundation can, and Zapnito can, then so can you. I wish every corporation would put its integrity before its advertising and its persistent, voracious hunt for eyeballs and influencers, and walk too. I’m looking for the CEOs who have the leadership wherewithal to take a stand and say no more to their personal or corporate accounts on that platform. I dare you to #DeleteFacebook.
Let me know when you do.