Most of us don’t realize it right away, but we’re pretty seriously invested in Facebook. Once we have been hooked in, it is almost impossible to let go. Even if you are not that active, you are probably using a bunch of passive Facebook services. Are you even aware of how deep you have slipped into the comfy confines of social networking? Before you think about leaving, find out what it is that you got yourself into!
It Caters to Your Curiosity
Remember why you joined Facebook? You probably wanted to keep in touch with all those special people. Maybe you wanted to find out more about someone, but had to join Facebook and friend them to see their profile. Whatever the reason, I’m pretty sure you were curious and wanted to see what it is all about and what everyone was talking about. Yes, peer pressure probably played into it as well.
And guess what? That’s exactly what is keeping you actively engaged with Facebook until this day! You love to see what your friends are up to and…
It Helps You Stay in Touch
There is nothing like Facebook to send a quick message and say ‘hi’ to someone. Email can be so daunting, but a Facebook message can be short and simple, it’s more like a chat anyways. And if your friend happens to be online, you can simply IM them.
You want to stay in touch with people or at least have the feeling that you still have a connection with someone. It’s probably Facebook’s most compelling feature as it makes people both join and stay. After all, almost everyone you care about is there and it’s so easy to add more people to your collection of friends.
Your Ego
What would other people think if you suddenly didn’t use Facebook anymore? Well, frankly, the worst that could happen is that they wouldn’t even notice. In any case, they would probably get over it and forget about you pretty fast. To be insignificant and forgotten is what scares you most.
No, you literally Like to be Liked! You enjoy being part of the group and want people to take notice of you. Nothing boosts the ego like receiving a Like.
It Stores Personal Memories
For many people, Facebook is much like a personal archive. It stores personal memories like photos, status updates, and messages from others. Imagine you lost all that.
Fortunately, you can download a copy of most of what you have shared on Facebook. The archive includes photos and videos you have shared, wall posts, messages, chat conversations, friends names, and most email addresses. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to restore this information to a new account.
It’s Part of Your Work
Are you maintaining a Facebook page as part of your job or freelance career? Facebook owns you right there and you know it.
It Knows the Birthdays of Your Friends
Facebook not only knows the birthdays of most of your friends, it also reminds you of them on site, via email, or through your connected calendar. And if you don’t see your friend personally or forgot to send a card, it’s acceptable to congratulate them via Facebook. No more hard feelings; at least you did think of them on their Birthday. Or was it Facebook?
If you do decide to quit Facebook, remember to export your friends’ Birthdays first!
You Will Miss Out on Events
It has become common practice to organize, announce, and invite to events via Facebook. If you’re not on Facebook, you will most likely miss out. That’s unless you hear about the event via other avenues. Ask yourself how likely that is to happen.
When you leave Facebook, all existing events that you have been invited to will disappear from your connected calendar. For a smooth transition, be sure to export your Facebook events.
You Will Lose Your Social Logins
Social logins are extremely convenient. On how many websites did you use Facebook to sign up, rather than creating a separate account? And do you really want to visit several dozen websites and update your account with new login information?
Well, if the answer is yes, go to your account’s App Settings to get an overview of where you have been using Facebook to sign in.
You Will Lose Your Phone Contacts
Facebook is convenient, but also sneaky. Did you permit it to sync your friends’ contact data to your phone contacts? I bet half your address book is provided by Facebook. It couldn’t be easier; after all your friends are curating their own contact data for you. However, if you ever lose access to Facebook, you’ll notice how much you rely on that information.
Facebook doesn’t allow you to directly export your friends’ contact data. However, you can import it into other accounts, including Yahoo! Mail, but not Google.
Conclusion
It takes a lot of determination to quit Facebook. If you have relied on a lot of Facebook’s services, you need to export data, set up new routines, and find other ways to socialize online. Staying in touch with everyone will be the hardest part. You might even have to drop a few friends. However, if this frees up more time for real friendships, then that’s actually a good thing. In any case, you better have a Plan B because sometimes Facebook quits on you.
What makes Facebook so attractive to you?
Image credits: Curious Kid via Shutterstock, Keep in Touch via Shutterstock, A Look from Darkness via Shutterstock
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