Facebook Frustration

I'm thinking about quitting Facebook. This isn't the first time I've considered it, but my addiction prevents me from going through with it. There are quite a few reasons why:

Facebook keeps changing its privacy settings. I'm getting tired of constantly having to reset them, check them, and reread the agreement. Recently, my sister posted something and pointed out that unless your friends change individual settings for each of their friends, they will see postings on other's posts. Ok, I know that's confusing, and I think Facebook makes it purposely confusing. But if I set my privacy to "only friends can see my posts", then it should stay that way! I don't want my friends' friends seeing what they said when they commented. For example, I might post "I had a great day at the beach!" and my friend Jane comments, "Was the water warm?". Now on Jane's friend Tom's newsfeed, it says, "Jane commented of Jennifer's post 'Was the water warm?' " I don't know Tom, so why should he see that? Because Tom has his settings for Jane to view comments, or something like that.

At least that's the way I've been told it works. And I don't really have the time or will to go through all the friends and limit what I see they post. I don't care anyway. I keep getting stuff on my homepage, my newsfeed that says so-and-so commented on this person's status. Why would I care about that? I don't know them! And so now I'm wondering how much of my own private stuff is showing up in others' newsfeeds. And from what I've been told, I can't change that, it has to be done by my friends!

Another reason I'm considering leaving is other postings by people (or friends). I'm a little tired of being preached at by do-gooders, religious wing-nuts and soapbox-standers. I do realize that Facebook is there for anyone to say what they want, and everyone is entitled to their opinion. But it's so in-your-face. And yes,, I'm guilty I'm sure of doing the same, and it makes me think who wants to hear it? 'Cause I don't. I have my blog, and that's what it's for. And a blog is different. If half the people on my friends list had blogs,I wouldn't be reading most of them, and that would be my choice. But on the newsfeed, it's right there, staring at you, yelling at you, in a way, and begging you to comment, which can get you into trouble.

Facebook has connected me with many people I lost touch with from high school and such, and while it's nice to hear from these people,there are some that I realize there was a reason behind that separation. Part of why I can't cut myself off from Facebook is that I'd miss some of the daily connections I make. 

Lastly, I think I'm too addicted. I have a compulsion to check my iPad every few minutes when I'm home, or at least every hour. It's sick. And I'm pretty sure most of my status updates have people thinking, "Who cares?"

So I'm going to give it a try. Only the people who read this blog will know why I've gone missing. I hope that a certain someone (ROOH) will continue to update her blog, so I don't completely fall out of the loop! And I'm sure I'll check in once in awhile, so I don't miss any cute pictures of my nieces or nephew.

I'll give it a week. I don't think I'll last, to be honest. And if I don't, my next step is going to be culling the connections. I'm will cut back all but the people I interact with most, and goodbye to all those opinion-pushers.