Recently quite a few of my “friends” on various social media accounts have asked me how they could delete their accounts.

Apparently they have decided that they no longer want to be part of what they perceive to be rampant censorship.  Several of them have also expressed dismay about how their likes, preferences, habits and even moods are being collected and sold to advertising companies.

While I haven’t yet arrived at the conclusion that I want to disassociate myself from Facebook, Twitter, SnapChat, Instagram and others, I did want to find some resources for my friends (and you!)

So here is what I found!

Brave Parenting has some easy to use info at https://braveparenting.net/deactivate-delete-social-media-accounts/.  (figures that a parenting info site would have info like this!)

Wired Magazine has an article here that offers the same info, but you might want to see which one has done a better job (for you).

https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-delete-your-facebook-instagram-twitter-snapchat/

Hacked (a website) has pictures to help guide you through the process at https://hacked.com/how-to-delete-social-media-accounts-facebook-instagram-and-snapchat/

Consumer Reports has a more extensive list of sites that you may want to delete at https://www.consumerreports.org/privacy/how-to-delete-online-accounts-you-no-longer-need/

Maybe you want to find out what Facebook knows about you (and boy do they know a lot!).  If so, spend some time at the Ethi web site.  They show you how to get a download of the data that Facebook holds on you, and then offer a way to have it analyzed and then offer to delete it for you.

Go here https://www.ethi.me/

Most of these sites are sorry to see you go, but in the opinion of many, they have crossed the line and abused public trust.  Of course, as a business, they have no obligation to do things the way that you want them to operate.  Your recourse is to either suck it up or bail out.

If you have made the choice to bail out, one of these sources that I have found for you will make that easier!

In case you are on the fence, maybe you should read “TEN ARGUMENTS FOR DELETING YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS RIGHT NOW”, By Jaron Lanier, Henry Holt and Co. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250196682

A timely call-to-arms from a Silicon Valley pioneer.

You might have trouble imagining life without your social media accounts, but virtual reality pioneer Jaron Lanier insists that we’re better off without them. In Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now, Lanier, who participates in no social media, offers powerful and personal reasons for all of us to leave these dangerous online platforms.

And if you are choosing to stay and suck it up, no crying later!