7 ms·

I only use FB to connect to distant friends and relatives, everything else is turned off or blocked. I am not profitable to FB as best I can do. FB has peaked a

I only use FB to connect to distant friends and relatives, everything else is turned off or blocked. I am not profitable to FB as best I can do. FB has peaked as a business for sure, unless they become the government somehow.

smt88 5y ago
It's possible to have a Messenger account without an activated Facebook account. Perhaps you could move to Messenger group chats and keep up with relatives there, so Facebook doesn't even get to add you to their MAUs.
- GNOMES 5y ago
  How is this done? I am not seeing instructions for this anywhere. I use messenger.com or the app regularly as it's how large group of friends talk (sigh). I haven't personally viewed main FB UI in a few years now.
  - officeplant 5y ago
    The last time I tried you could start fresh with just a phone number on messenger. That was 6 or 7 years ago so I'm not sure what has changed since then. Messenger always seemed very open to letting nonFB users in since they have a chance to be converted to full time users.
- mathieuh 5y ago
  I knew this was possible but I still completely deleted my account. Didn't want to have anything to do with Facebook at all. Friends and family know my number/email if it's something that matters. Plus, deactivating an account still leaves you the option of reactivating, and I didn't want to do that in a moment of information-starved weakness, so they must still have your data. Of course, you then have to trust that they actually do delete your data when you delete your account.
  - timmytokyo 5y ago
    Given that Facebook creates shadow profiles of people who don't have accounts, I'm sure they still have your data in some form. But it's still worthwhile deleting your account, as it reduces your overall visibility to their all-seeing eye.
slothtrop 5y ago
I expect many young people have accounts and a native phone app which mines data (as I understand it) even if they don't log in.
micromacrofoot 5y ago
But you are still profitable to FB regardless of your best efforts. They are profiting off of the data you give them while connecting to friends and relatives. They know who you are and what you're interested in based on who you associate with. Facebook doesn't want to be the government, that would remove power from them at this point. There are all sorts of regulations on the government that they don't need to adhere to as a private business.

smt88 5y ago

It's possible to have a Messenger account without an activated Facebook account. Perhaps you could move to Messenger group chats and keep up with relatives there, so Facebook doesn't even get to add you to their MAUs.

GNOMES 5y ago
How is this done? I am not seeing instructions for this anywhere. I use messenger.com or the app regularly as it's how large group of friends talk (sigh). I haven't personally viewed main FB UI in a few years now.
- officeplant 5y ago
  The last time I tried you could start fresh with just a phone number on messenger. That was 6 or 7 years ago so I'm not sure what has changed since then. Messenger always seemed very open to letting nonFB users in since they have a chance to be converted to full time users.
mathieuh 5y ago
I knew this was possible but I still completely deleted my account. Didn't want to have anything to do with Facebook at all. Friends and family know my number/email if it's something that matters. Plus, deactivating an account still leaves you the option of reactivating, and I didn't want to do that in a moment of information-starved weakness, so they must still have your data. Of course, you then have to trust that they actually do delete your data when you delete your account.
- timmytokyo 5y ago
  Given that Facebook creates shadow profiles of people who don't have accounts, I'm sure they still have your data in some form. But it's still worthwhile deleting your account, as it reduces your overall visibility to their all-seeing eye.

slothtrop 5y ago

I expect many young people have accounts and a native phone app which mines data (as I understand it) even if they don't log in.

micromacrofoot 5y ago

But you are still profitable to FB regardless of your best efforts. They are profiting off of the data you give them while connecting to friends and relatives. They know who you are and what you're interested in based on who you associate with. Facebook doesn't want to be the government, that would remove power from them at this point. There are all sorts of regulations on the government that they don't need to adhere to as a private business.