Disadvantages of Using Facebook

Last week I decided to deactivate my Facebook account. Unfortunately, there is no way to completely delete it. Your account just become hidden until you login again. And everything will be like it was before.

But it's better than nothing.

Using Facebook actually has a lot of advantages. If you are searching for an old friend you have lost contact with, chances are you will find them on Facebook.

And then there is the commercial aspect. Facebook currently has 800 million active users. 400 Million of those are logged in any time in the day. Think about the possibility.

So why did I decide to close it?

Your Status Updates can Potentionally Ruin a Relationship

After using it for more than a year. This social network presents some problem. I noticed that the more I gain friends (old friends, new friends, friends from many years ago) in my network the more I gain people who resent me.

For example, If I post a personal view, maybe political or religious, chances are it will hit the nerves of someone with a different opinion. They find out how different you are. And since the foundation of your friendship is not strong yet or not strong anymore because you haven't seen each other for a while, they take it personally and they resent it. And so you just lost a friend in a bad way. And you don't have any chance to patch it because you don't have the opportunity to meet just like before.

The funny thing is, if I posted the same thing in a personal blog, it will not attract such reaction. I wonder why?

Maybe because if you post, something it feels like you are directly talking to someone. And who ever felt comfortable being told by a mere peer.

Unlike blog post which feels like directed at any random people who happen to come by.

Not Liking Someones Post Consistently Can also Ruin a Relationship

I've observe that some people like to post a lot. And if you consistently do not react and you don't click the 'Like Button', they begin to feel that you don't like them at all.

Likewise if you post something and nobody reacted it feels like you just talked to air.

It's a bad feeling really for everyone.

Games are a Time Consuming Distractions

One of the reasons that made Facebook successful are the presence of online games: Farmville, Fronterville, CafeWorld, Backyard Monsters to name just a few.

The problem with these games is that you constantly have to return to them to make any progress. In some you need to invite new friends to join the game during every new level.

I was playing Backyard Monster before I deactivated my account. The object of the game is world conquest and I progressed enough that I now have 31 outposts. So I really became one of the strongest players in my Map. But the problem is – it now takes more than an hour just to tend all those 31 outposts. And if you just leave them unattended, a lot of game resources will be wasted. Add to that you never know if someone might be attacking your bases while you are away. You also have to watch for that.

Other social games have similar problem. The more you increase in level the more it becomes a chore to tend your account.

And then you have your other friends who are making game requests not just in one game but in several games.

And so you are committed to check everyday or else you will be left behind.

But isn't games intended to help you relax and unwind instead of giving you more work which are not essential to your personally life.

Spending to much time on Facebook checking Friend Status

You can also waste your watching the statuses of your friends. Checking out what they are currently doing. People like news that is why news websites are the most visited sites on the internet. What more if you are checking on your friends.

Meeting Old Friends You wished You would have Never Met Again

People change. You may be okay with each other when you were younger but your childhood friends may have acquired some bad attitude since last you met.

They may have become judgemental or simple annoying that there will be situations that you wish that you never met them again at all so that you can preserve the good memories you have together.

You Don't really have Control over your own Content while Facebook is making a profit of it

Try deactivating your account. You will find out that you will not be able to delete it. It is still there just hidden.

They might say it is for convenience incase you change your mind and return.

But what if I really want to erase everything.

Another is about my upates and photos.

If you like to travel or if you want to share something, I believe it is better for you to post it in your own blog.

Who knows your blog may prove to be popular and you start attracting advertisers. Or someone might like your work and they hire you for a certain job.

If you are blogging on Facebook, you can't take advantage of this opportunity because in the end Facebook owns their website and you are just renting their resources for free.

If ever an advertiser is interested to advertiser on your page, they will talk to Facebook not you.

You might say you are really doing these updates for personal reasons anyway. But still it is an opportunity lost.

Not Completely Getting Out

And so I've deactivated my Facebook account. But it doesn't mean I am getting off it completely. You just can't ignore 800 Million active users. I do have another account that I use for marketing purposes.

But I will distance my personal life and personal information. There is just too much hassle and too many privacy concerns.