#deletefacebook for your health

If you are still using Facebook, please keep in mind that doing so means you are supporting the following:

• The use of people's personal information (including your own) to target political ads that aren't under the requirement to be factual like other ads.
• The use of people's personal information for third parties to use for political purposes such as Cambridge Analytica in their effort to help get Donald Trump elected.
• The spread of hate and fear that is enabling the rise of white supremacy in the same vane as Islamic extremism, as well as Holocaust-denial, anti-woman incels, transphobia, etc.
• The spread of violence such as that of the Rohingya in Myanmar, resulting in tens of thousands raped, beaten and murdered.
• The spread of division between people, such as the Canadian prairies vs Quebec (i.e. the bogus equalization fight), conservatives vs liberals, and "woke" liberals vs "privileged" liberals (which essentially divides the left in the name of political correctness, making it easier for the regressive right to achieve power).
• The enabling of anti-science rhetoric, which makes it seem that ideas like anti-climate science is as prevalent and as factual as the consensus of the scientific community.
• The amplification of conspiracy theories such as the flat earth theory, Pizzagate, and worse yet, the anti-vax movement which has resulted in the return of once-eradicated diseases.

If not for altruistic purposes or avoiding supporting toxic companies, please consider avoiding using Facebook and any of its sister companies such as Instagram and WhatsApp, for your own personal sake (those who need it for work-use only exempted). I deleted Facebook (and Instagram and WhatsApp) almost a year ago and I have never felt more connected to those I care most about because now I have to actually make a concerted effort to do so.

I also owe my improved overall mood recently, including less anxiety and less anger, to using less social media who's sole purpose is to keep you plugged in and engaged so they can feed more targeted ads and content into your brain no matter how negative the consequences are (YouTube is also guilty of much of the same things as Facebook is). A recent study has shown that I am not alone in the positive effect that quitting Facebook has.

Some may say Facebook is too convenient to quite but remember that convenience does not come without cost. The long term consequences of Facebook, social media and too much screen time on individuals and on society is already starting to become apparent and we are going to look back at this day and wonder how we could let such a toxic company control and get away with so much. Get ahead of the curve and delete your Facebook account today. If you already don't use Facebook, please consider sharing this with someone you care about who could benefit from less social media.