“Empty news”, “depressing news”, “visibility race”… they are leaving social networks for 2023.
It is the same ritual every year in January. We promise ourselves that we will start exercising, quit smoking, call our grandparents more often, or save a little more each month. But for some of our internet users, the resolution for 2023 is to stop or reduce the use of social networks. Waste of time, disturbing news, hateful atmosphere… What are the reasons that make these French people leave Facebook, Twitter or Instagram? 20 minutes promised them.
“The flow of information in vain”
With an average of 1 hour and 46 minutes of use per day, social networks occupy a significant part of our daily lives. And that’s too much for Virginie. Faced with the observation of “waste of time and energy”, the young woman decided to delete her Facebook and Twitter accounts a few weeks ago: “I wanted to rediscover the pleasure of true family and friendship meetings, to live more in reality. “he admits. Vincent “disconnected from Instagram and Facebook on December 31. I used to waste a lot of time on these apps: as soon as I picked up my mobile phone, I scrolled like a robot! “. .
Yoann “was tired of seeing people’s eyes constantly glued to the mobile screen in useless situations or as soon as they stopped moving for five seconds: at the supermarket checkout, going through a long corridor, walking on the sidewalk, waiting for the light to turn green. “. The result, finished Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Messenger, only WhatsApp And for now, it has “no vital impact” on her social life.
After being on social networks for a few years, Yoann also got tired of this “empty flow of information”. “I’m tired of endlessly watching mini-videos of teenagers doing the same challenge around the world, or playing a mind-numbing game,” he said. An idea shared by Jeremy. “At first I thought it would be difficult. Fear of not being aware of events anymore. In the end, I quickly realized that important information was still reaching me. This allowed me to restore the real hierarchy in the information I received,” the young man explains.
“It’s a race for visibility”
Since its inception, social networks, especially Instagram, have been regularly accused of the dictatorship of appearance. A lie that upsets Lauren: “It was a bit like the best photo competition over the Christmas holidays. Everyone wanted to show that their life was better than others. It’s a visibility contest.” Tired of “putting himself in competition”, this internet user decided to leave “Facebook” and “Instagram”. “I’ve been off the internet for a few days and I’m feeling better, focusing on my creativity and not on likes anymore,” says this artist. It was after seeing the photos of the ski vacation that Mathilde left the social network: “I don’t have a vacation this winter, nor do I have much money, so I decided to delete Instagram. Seeing friends or influencers on vacation in great places made me sad, I felt like I had a bad life. I was wondering why I did this to myself.”
More than publications, it was the “false” links on social networks that prompted Julien to speak out: “I deleted Facebook and Messenger. I realized that 99% of the people I befriended just wanted to say happy new year or happy birthday,” she explains. Selin spent some time watching the knowledge news feed. A waste of time for a young woman who wants to put an end to this “interest”. “The people I have real connections with, I call them, text them, or go see them,” she continues.
On the other side of the coin, social media suppression can put an end to social relationships, Jeremy explains: “By quitting Instagram and Facebook, my friendships and professional relationships have drastically decreased, I’ve been out of the loop for evenings or nights. meals,” she notes, before adding, “But at least it strengthens the bond with those who don’t forget you.”
“I had to protect myself”
The coronavirus epidemic, inflation, yellow vests, the war in Ukraine… At least we can say that the news in recent years has not been encouraging at all. For some, it is enough. “Before, every morning when I woke up, I would go to Twitter or Facebook, see a flood of depressing news and smell an uncomfortable smell. I realized that I had to protect myself, “recalls Nadège, who deleted her social networks. “I simply chose to save myself from a disturbing climate,” she said.
Especially since this disturbing atmosphere on social networks is sometimes accompanied by hateful content. For Vanessa, who deleted all her accounts, these “time-wasting” sites became a platform for hate and violence. “Just look at the comments on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. There is racism, homophobia, sexism. Any publication is widely criticized, “believes the Internet user.
Rest assured, our Internet users. They are not alone. Like actor Tom Holland, who retired from social media this summer to protect his mental health. Before that, Selena Gomez made the same decision in 2018. The star with 343 million Instagram subscribers refused all social networks.
