Perhaps it’s time for me and social media to part company

I was a latecomer to Facebook. I’m usually a latecomer to everything involving technology because it scares the bejaysus out of me but I finally succumbed to Facebook about six years ago largely due to peer pressure... and also if I’m being honest, because I’m naturally a nosey person and didn’t want to be left out.

And initially I loved it. In fact I became somewhat obsessed. I spent hours on it, posting comments and pictures daily and checking my timeline for responses every few minutes. My phone was permanently attached to my hand and every time I took a picture, my loved ones would shout, ‘don’t put that on Facebook!’

Facebook has its uses. It is wonderful for getting back in touch with people. I have reconnected with cousins I hadn’t seen in years, school friends that I’d forgotten about, ex boyfriends that I remember fondly (not that many of them to be fair) and family members who live far away.

But then there’s the down side – The Keyboard Warriors who have nothing better to do with their time than cast aspirations on anyone who comes to their attention, whinge about any given issue and generally make nasty comments about whoever and whatever they like.

And then there’s the people who are your

‘friends’ on Facebook but if you met them on the street they wouldn’t even acknowledge your presence. If you want to be my friend on social media at least have the decency to give me a wave when you see me in the flesh!

The longer I’ve stayed on

Facebook the more I’ve seen both these elements grow and spread like an insidious virus.

I reached a crisis point this week where I wanted to unfriend someone I’d had a falling out with but didn’t want them to know for fear of causing a scene. I know, call me a coward but I just couldn’t face the repercussions of blocking them. I rang my friend who’s a bit of a digital media genius.

She informed me I could unfriend them and also restrict what they saw on my page without them ever knowing. Who knew?

However when I went to carry out her instructions, I opened the proverbial can of worms and in my privacy settings, discovered all these friend requests I had sent that people hadn’t accepted. Horrified! That’s what I was. And humiliated! And annoyed. And of course the needy part of me wanted to ring them all and say ‘why won’t you be my friend on Facebook!’ That was the point where I realised it’s time for me and social media to part company. If a phone app can make me feel that bad, do I really want it?

The answer obviously is no. So by the time you read this, I should be Facebook-less. That’s if I have the courage of my convictions! Yes part of me will miss the daily banter and the gossip but I think I’ll survive. Twitter got the boot last year and I don’t miss it a bit. Maybe we should all spend more time living our lives instead of living them vicariously through social media.

And if all else fails I still have Instagram!

MAYBE WE SHOULD ALL SPEND MORE TIME LIVING OUR LIVES INSTEAD OF LIVING THEM VICARIOUSLY THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA