It’s time for There are many other social media options out there, but remember that Facebook owns some of them. Credit: Adem Ay / Unsplash, CC BY
By withholding news content from its Australian users, Facebook is arguably overplaying its hand, behaving like a big company that thinks it can intimidate governments.
If he continues to do this, he will eventually lose customers, and that’s the last thing Facebook wants.
You may already be considering breaking up with Facebook, whether in response to the news ban or because of broader unease about its business model, which profiles its users in order to generate revenue through targeted advertising.
If that’s the case, the good news is that it’s entirely possible to delete Facebook. Or, if you’re not ready to go full-on, you can certainly minimize your footprint on the platform.
If you deactivate your account
It becomes inactive but all the data is still there. This is a good option if you just want to take a break, or if you’re the type of person who wants a Facebook “detox” and comes back to it two weeks later.
Selecting “delete” from the same menu is a more effective option. If you do this, Facebook says it will delete your account, but it’s a bit unclear what happens to the data. That means we can’t definitively say that all data is deleted, never to be seen again.
In the European Union, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) aims to give users the “right to be forgotten” on the internet, so no one can find awkward information about what you did 20 years ago. This extends to EU citizens living in Australia.
The Australian Privacy Act provides for an individual’s right to request their records and to request corrections for inaccurate records. It also provides protection against unjustified invasions of their privacy arising from the collection, maintenance, use and disclosure of their personal information.
What if you change your mind after deleting your Facebook? The data is still recoverable if you really want to, although it would be very difficult.
Good maintenance of your home
There’s a third way: a “social media spring clean,” which goes further than the standard Facebook friend “cull.” It involves rebooting your entire Facebook presence by replacing your existing account with a new one that connects only with your most trusted friends.
First, decide which of your friends you want to stay in touch with, then tell them that you are replacing your old account and expect a new friend request from them soon.
Next, set up a new account, with the settings set to the Tunisia WhatsApp Number List level of privacy you’re comfortable with and your connections limited to a few trusted people.
Facebook’s goal – at least from Facebook’s perspective – is to collect enough demographic data about users so that they can use intelligent AI to target advertising. It’s amazing how well they’re doing this, and the more data they get, the better they get.
Their whole modus operandi is to keep you on the platform as long as possible so that they have more chances to show you advertising. That’s why they want you there.
By simply sticking with your closest friends and starting with a clean slate, it is possible to scale back this undertaking.
Keep prying eyes away
Through your settings, you can also ask Facebook to show you which third-party apps are currently using your Facebook account data. Some have dozens or more, and all of them are potentially accessing your data to profile you. I’m personally not comfortable with this, and I have very few third-party apps looking at my data.
If you see Facebook posts with phrases like “if you want to WhatsApp Number Database know who viewed your profile, click here,” some of them are little more than data-harvesting Trojan horses.
It goes even further: your friends’ settings can also allow third-party apps to access your personal data. This type of practice falls into a gray area in terms of ethical informed consent.
You may be very careful about the apps you use, but some of your friends may be more reckless. If you’re doing a social media spring clean, it’s probably wise not to reconnect with that old coworker who’s always posting personality quizzes with titles like “What Appliance Are You?”
Life after Facebook?
There’s no shortage of other platforms that people can use. Popular alternatives include LinkedIn, Twitter, Reddit, Parler, and MeWe. Keep in mind that Facebook also owns WhatsApp and Bulk Database Instagram. There’s been recent talk about data sharing across all of Facebook’s platforms.
Over time, Facebook accounts accumulate more and more dross, and this is all data for the platform’s algorithms. Facebook wants you to build hundreds and hundreds of friends, and it’s all grist for their mill.
It’s a good idea to do a periodic spring cleaning of all your social media accounts, not just Facebook. Delete contacts that are no longer relevant or you can’t remember how you became friends with them.
If you want to take it to the next level, deactivate your Facebook account and take a break. Or delete it and create a new account with only the friends you really want.
