There are plenty of good reasons to consider deleting your Facebook account.
Maybe you’re tired of the constant privacy breaches. Maybe you don’t like the way Facebook uses your data to target you with super-specific ads. Perhaps you don’t like seeing heated political debates unfold amongst your high school peers.
I deleted my Facebook account back in early 2020. I can’t even really remember why I did it – it just felt right at the time.
I had been a member of Facebook since 2009. Back then, it was a must-have. Especially after Bebo died. You simply weren’t cool if you didn’t have Facebook.
Nowadays, the appeal of Facebook has waned. The platform became saturated. So you have found yourself here, wondering if you should delete or deactivate your Facebook account.
Let me tell you how and why deleting Facebook improved my life.
You don’t have to be on Facebook
Scrolling along the news feed might feel like second nature to you. Maybe you’ve had Facebook for a few years and it has just become a part of your life.
But the reality is, you probably don’t *need* to be on Facebook.
For the most part, you’re probably better off without it. Deleting it will allow you more time to focus on the things that are important to you, amongst various other benefits to your health and mind.
Climb over this mental hurdle and you’re already well on the way to a scroll-free existence.
You’ll be less stressed out
It’s no secret that social media can be a major source of stress.
If you delete Facebook, you might experience less FOMO (fear of missing out). Trust me, your friends will still reach out to you.
You might also experience less anxiety about what others think about you, and less comparison to other people’s highlight reels of their own lives.
It doesn’t have to be permanent
‘Delete’ is quite a strong word, no?
The good news is that you don’t have to ‘delete’ your Facebook account. The platform offers a handy little service called ‘temporary deactivation’.
With temporary deactivation, your account does disappear from the platform and the search results, but you can log in and reactivate it whenever you like.
Temporarily deactivating your account is a good way to test out if you really need Facebook.
If after a week or two of not having it, you find yourself itching to get back on, then you can always log in and reactivate your account.
However, if deactivating your account makes no real difference in your life, then leave it be!
You can keep Messenger
You don’t have to completely wipe yourself from the online space when deactivating Facebook.
You can still use Messenger by downloading the mobile app, even if you delete your Facebook account.
The messenger app does not require an active Facebook account to work, so you can still chat with friends and family.
Reducing your digital footprint
When you delete your Facebook account, you are also deleting all of the information you’ve ever shared on the platform.
This can be a good thing if you’re looking to reduce your digital footprint and take a break from social media. It’s also good for future employment opportunities – hide all those embarrassing photos and misinformed posts from your past to avoid awkward job interviews.
Final thoughts
Deleting or deactivating your Facebook account is a big step. Especially if you have been a member of the platform for many years. But
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the negative effects of social media or you simply don’t have the time to manage your account, deleting or deactivating it may be the best solution for you.
It’s important to remember that Facebook is just one platform of many. You won’t immediately be cut off from the world. You can still stay in touch through text, calls and Messenger if you like.
Have you deactivated or deleted your Facebook account? Why? Let us know below!