Unfriending Facebook

- Image via CrunchBase
I gave my two-week notice on Facebook today — I’m hereby quitting. Two weeks to collect anyone’s e-mail or phone number I don’t already have, and I’m deactivating.
I’m tired of all the crowing, braying, posturing, fishing for compliments and “liking.” Facebook is the greatest ego-pump ever created. The biggest egos can now be inflated from 0 to 3,000 psi in one status update and a cascade of sycophantic “likes.” I don’t care what anybody “likes” and they shouldn’t care what I like.
And it’s spreading. Facebook’s founder wants “liking” things to be part of the basic structure of the Web. Of course, Facebook intends to collect all these things you like, match similar likes with your friends and bombard you both with targeted advertising.
So, they’ve found a way to turn us into secret salesmen. What progress! It’s like being turned into a multi-level marketer without even going to the hotel ballroom and getting the free trip just for listening to the pitch.
A brilliant business? Yes.
As Facebook described it’s “Instant Personalization” setting, I “opted in by default.” Now, I’m opting out completely.
I like this.



