Facebook:10 Reasons To Spend Less Time

Personal free time spent checking Facebook and other social media sites takes time that could be spent with someone in your real life.
How do you define friends? The definition of friend has become fuzzy in our social media world. Facebook friends may like your posts but most won’t be available in real time or when you truly need it.
Facebook and other social media can bring out the worst in people. From the safety of a computer, people feel entitled to judge, often bashing those that don’t agree with their views.
Competing with friends gets old. You see your Facebook friends’ posts with amazing photos of events and activities. You feel compelled to post something of your own to keep yourself relevant. Before you know it, competing can be exhausting.
Facebook uses your data. You wouldn’t publicize or share your private data with just anyone, so why allow access to your information and sell it?
The influence of fake news. Fake news articles posted and shared may have influenced the outcome of the last presidential election. While we may not know if that is truly the case, we do know that it is one of the biggest sources of news today and voters read the fake content. Even with task forces trying to control it, fake stories and misinformation persists.
Social manipulation. Facebook will suggest friends based on the friends you already have, pages you like or info you may share. These may be subtle tactics to suggest broadening your network, but it is essentially social manipulation.
Exposure to excessive advertising. It seems the ads on Facebook now outnumber posts from friends and family. Why would you want to spend valuable time looking at advertisements telling you about a product you recently searched on Amazon last week or a retailer a Facebook “friend” likes?
Protecting your digital reputation. What began as a fun way to share our lives with friends and family has become a hunting ground for colleges and companies as a way to background check and possibly eliminate, potential candidates. Your digital reputation can be impacted every time you post or like something and/or any time you are tagged.
Increasing anxiety and depression. Research clearly shows that the more time you spend on Facebook and other social media, the more anxious and depressed you are likely to become.