Here are a gazillion reasons why you shouldn’t be on social media.

The news out of the social media world today is that the CEO of AirAsia, Tony Fernandes, has quit Facebook in protest, after videos of New Zealand mosque attacks were posted on the platform.

Fernandes tweeted saying that Facebook needs to “clean up and not just think of financials” and that “The amount of hate that goes on in social media sometimes outweighs the good.” He, however, felt that Facebook was a “great platform to communicate.”

https://twitter.com/tonyfernandes/status/1107123988864491520 https://twitter.com/tonyfernandes/status/1107167917378953217 https://twitter.com/tonyfernandes/status/1107169674783920128

Got me thinking…

Fernandes mentions: “It is great platform to communicate.”

Communicate what exactly?

Crappy daily updates from people you couldn’t care less? Well, you could, if you wanted to.

Or, the exact content for which you are quitting the platform?

Apparently, it’s not that great a platform to communicate then. Hence, you are quitting.

Maybe, one day, one of these “influencers” will grow a conscience and quit social media by saying, “It is a great platform to communicate lies, spread hate, spread disinformation and fake news, hoodwink gullible masses, and in the process become a billionaire.”

But, I don’t want to put words in their mouth. So, just ignore I said that.

Next, I thunked further…

Now, social media user base is changing drastically. First, some of the social media diehards are quitting the platform. Second, many teens are thinking of or are already quitting social media. Finally, we may just be witnessing peak social media.

Yet, why do some of the sleepwalking plebes keep on harping, ad nauseam, that social media is the greatest thing since sliced bread and those who aren’t on it are missing out?

This got me thunking. Again!

“H’mm, let’s see. So, what are those people who are not on any social media platforms missing by not having a social media footprint.”

After much thought, I couldn’t find anything—not a single thing—that they are missing, which they couldn’t live without.

I repeat, they are not missing anything.

Zero, Zilch, Nada.

On the contrary, I thunked, “Is there anything that they are gaining by not being on social media?”

The answer was a definite, “Yes, I think, they are. They are gaining that one thing that matters the most in life—peace of mind.”

Let me tell you why.

You see, not being on social media means that they can’t get:

• trolled.
• spammed
• scammed
• phished.
• banned.
• hacked.
• stalked.
• doxxed.
• cyber-bullied.

Then, I thunked some more…

Furthermore, those who aren’t on social media don’t have to worry about:

• whether their account details, such as passwords are stored securely or not. For e.g., Facebook storing Facebook, Facebook Lite, and Instagram passwords in plain text, which their employees could easily access. (List item added by Omygdala on March 23 2019)
• Facebook asking them for their private email password. (List item added by Omygdala on April 04 2019)
• Facebook data being inadvertently posted on public servers. (List item added by Omygdala on April 04 2019)
• their pages being blocked, mistakenly or not.
• saving/migrating their data when the service/network is shutdown. For example Google+
• their accounts being hacked and personal data made available on the dark web for free or for a sum.
• getting tricked into clicking a link that launches a malware attack, installs a ransomware, or steals personal data.
• their personal data being mined and sold to third-party. Cambridge Analytica, anyone?
• any risks to their privacy being breached.
• providing their personal details to a company that may not have their best interest in mind.
• being spied upon.
• not accruing enough likes, which leads them to having a freaking nervous breakdown.
• not having enough friends in their friends list.
• being unfriended.
• morons wanting to befriend them.
• fake friends in their friends list.
• bots bombarding their social media posts with bad reviews.
• spending money to bump their posts.

And, thunked and thunked a little more…

The more I thunked, the more I realized that they—those not on social media—don’t have to worry about:

• posts from years ago coming back to haunt them.
• risks to depression and loneliness. The risk, it seems, is stronger in girls
• being a password sloth.
• sharing too much information online.
• getting into online fights with “friends” while discussing religion and politics.
• getting engaged in “Twitter rage.”
• identity theft or data leakage.
• fake request from spam profiles.
• fake apps and malicious links.
• forwarding fake messages.
• reading hateful content.
• keeping up with the Joneses. Yes, supposedly, social media influences people’s vacation choice because their friends have gone to a particular place and they haven’t, yet. Facepalm! As an aside, believe it or not, in India, you can get a travel loan to fund dream vacations. Facepunch!
• unsolicited and unwelcome contact by strangers and online predators.
• reading horrible analysis from armchair experts.
• viewing, liking, or commenting on pictures/posts of their friends vacationing. Some of those pictures of land whales on swimwear is disgusting.
• being accosted by complete strangers, who sent them a friend request, which they declined. Yes, happened to a photographer friend of mine, who gets friend request from complete strangers on his Facebook account. Obviously he declines them, and then is accosted by those strangers, asking him, “Why?” Go figure!

Godforsaken Social Media Luddites!

Now, some diehards will say, “But, but what about connecting with friends from school, college, work, and family members. Also, what about following celebrities and influencers, or being followed by them.”

What about them? Some of them aren’t special, you know. Never have been. Never will be.

In addition, since this is frequently brought up, I have a few things to say about friends, families, celebrities, and influencers.

Friends:

Firstly, do you really want to connect with those dolts from school, who are now your “friends”? The ones who hated you and you hated? What about the ones who bullied you or threatened you with dire consequences if you didn’t share the answer sheet?

Maybe, you do. I don’t.

Secondly, if we value friends and friendship, then, we don’t need social media. We need to spend productive time with them and that can only be done in person, not over Facebook or whatever avatar of Facebook you are using. In addition, friends who are there for each other don’t need the crutch of social media to maintain a close, healthy, and a valuable relationship.

Finally, friends who want to keep in touch with you will do everything possible to keep in touch with you and not rely on social media.

And many people, including myself, are lucky enough to have such great friends in their life. I treasure them, I value them, they enrich my life. They are my guardian angels. And I don’t need, never needed, social media to keep our fantastic relationship alive, strong, and thriving.

Families:

OMG!

I don’t know about yours, but mine is dysfunctional. I couldn’t care less about many of them. Well, actually, I could, but try as I might, I couldn’t!

Again, I don’t need social media to keep in touch with the ones I care most about. We are there for each other, have been there for each other, every step of the way.

A-Listers of the World:

Regarding celebrities and influencers, famous or infamous, what’s so special about them? Have you seen some of the celebrities and influencers  on TV or read about them in the newspapers?

Some of them are really messed up and aren’t very happy on the inside. They may have all the money in the world, but what they don’t have are— true friends and a loving family.

They are sad and lonely, and suicidal. Many of them are alcoholics, and many of them are on drugs… more than one drugs.

Success and fame have gotten into their head, and they don’t know how to handle the new-found wealth or the spotlight. That’s why many of them accidentally off themselves by overdosing. Some kill themselves by hanging, or by cutting themselves and dying of exsanguination or infarction. And some die of  auto-erotic asphyxiation. Lost souls, I tell you.

Moreover, do you really want to befriend people whose only claim to fame is inherited wealth, good looks, fake body parts and sex tapes.

All attributes that are ephemeral, momentary, transitory, or ethereal. Not me. I’m not interested.

The people who value them, and there are many, can keep those weirdos to themselves. I will keep real friends close to me, by keeping in touch with them personally and often.

Finally, I read this somewhere, which made me chuckle.

Ladies, if he
—Remembers your birthday
—Knows all your secrets
—Spends a lot of time with you
—Knows all your friends

That’s not your man.
That’s Mark Zuckerberg

Now, I don’t want to come across as a sexist. So,

Gentlemen, if he
—Remembers your birthday
—Knows all your secrets
—Spends a lot of time with you
—Knows all your friends

That’s not your man.
That’s Mark Zuckerberg

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N.B. Okay, I lied. Certainly, those are not a gazillion reasons. But, a few good reasons, nonetheless. Most importantly, a few reasons to keep in mind while deciding whether to be or not to be on social media.