Why I (still) love Facebook

Last week I shared an article about deleting the Facebook application from my beloved iPhone 7. I definitely experienced some withdrawal symptoms ranging from FOMO (fear of missing out) to a big empty void of free time. The latter was a boon after the FOMO wore off (took only a few days). Suddenly I felt human again – asking people in person about how their day was, what they did in school… making eye contact with people… Okay, I jest a little, but there’s a lot of reality grounded in that statement. Being on Facebook, as I’ve stated before can be very filtered from reality.

So why am I keeping my account and why am I not part of the #DeleteFacebook movement?

It’s simple.

Facebook is here to stay. It has become a part of our lives. Be it through photo sharing with distant friends and relatives, celebrating achievements like births and new jobs, or sharing in grief when hard times hit. We need Facebook because it has become a part of our vernacular and routine. Maybe it won’t be “Facebook” in the future, but rather, a different service… as Facebook displaced MySpace who displaced Friendster and so on. But we have a need for Facebook-like service in our lives. My overture to deleting the app is a personal one about slowing down and focusing on what I feel is important. I do feel there is value in Facebook; in connecting the world and creating communities, movements and facilitating free speech.

And on a side note, I really do love Facebook. After all, much of my career is based upon helping brands evangelize their value and connect with consumers. I do this really well because I have a great tool in helping these brands, Facebook.

So, you won’t find me deleting my Facebook account any time soon.