A Return to Facebook...Ugh

More than 13 years ago, I left Facebook behind.

I won't say I haven’t occasionally considered returning or created profiles only to delete them immediately, but for the most part, I’ve been— and still am— happy with my decision to leave.

Platforms like Facebook are invasive; they steal time and energy without earning it, and they benefit from who I am more than I benefit from the value they claim to provide.

The past 13 years without Facebook have been mostly joyful. Although I'm often the last to hear about a social update or find out about weekend events after they’ve passed, the freedom to control my own time far outweighs the minor inconvenience of missing out on information that, in truth, I’m not terribly upset to miss.

However, recently, it’s become more difficult to find basic information from businesses and service providers, as they increasingly post only on their Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter accounts— many of which are closed to those without an account. Trying to get service updates, contact information, or keep up with details that used to arrive via email newsletters has become harder with each passing month.

So here I am, 13 years later, with a Facebook account again.

It’s not that I thought this day would never come— but I really thought it would never come.

With the sole purpose of gathering information and the occasional Marketplace post to expand my Kijiji listings, my goal is to keep my profile as locked down as possible and use it sparingly.

I hate that it’s come to this, but I feel like I’ve been left with no choice. Unless businesses and service providers stop building their presence inside these walled gardens, I’m left with little option but to join them.