Mark Twain

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do ...
Explore. Dream. Discover." Mark Twain

Saturday, May 25, 2013

I am naive!

I just made an unsettling discovery.

Last year I joyfully deleted my Facebook account.  I was frustrated with Facebook but mostly I needed to just get away from a few "time wasters" - Facebook in my life was a time waster.

For those who are curious - there are two levels of Facebook separation.  I can't remember their exact names but here is what I remember from last year:

  • First level: you have put yourself in a "temporary time out."  You aren't really serious about leaving.  You want a breather.  You might want to come back again, just not sure.  You want to hold onto your account and all the contacts and information ... but you might want to say "Good Riddens" .. just not sure!  I did that once and came back.
  • Second level: you are permanently deleting this account.  You are done, done done with Facebook forever.  Your screen name, friends, pictures ... all the details of your account will be gone . permanently . not to be recalled . not ever not never again.   This is a final action that cannot be recalled.  You cannot change your mind!!  Be sure you want to do that before you hit the "submit" button.  I hit that button last year.  I was done, done, done with Facebook.

Facebook lied.  
Apparently Facebook isn't done with me.

My account was never gone AND just the past month I started getting Facebook updates from friends in my email.  I didn't pay much attention at first.  I saw the word "Facebook" in my in box and I just deleted it.  I was done done done with Facebook!  I was deleted . permanently . finally, forever and ever.  Facebook told me so.

Then I discovered that not only is everything still out there, but my account was ACTIVATED and not by me!!

Everything is still out there and shows just like it did before.  

Very very odd.  

So I promptly went out and changed my password - 'cause maybe I was hacked!  BUT there shouldn't have been anything out there to hack!  My account was deleted . permanently . finally . forever and ever! Done!!

Ok, 
it is now terribly evident to everyone reading this post
 that I am very naive
 and nothing on the Internet is ever totally gone.

I'll try again later to delete this account.  Right now I am afraid to go out to my account - because I will get sucked back in to that "black hole" that I call Facebook.  *sigh*

8 comments:

Michelle said...

I am on FB under a pseudonym and spend very little time there, but do get updates from friends that I wouldn't hear from otherwise emailed to me. But recently I was presented with a very real and personal reason to detest FB, and would be happy if it all evaporated into thin air. It is not comforting to know that not even individual accounts will evaporate....

Lynne said...

I am one of those "deactivate and join again" persons. Until the last time . . . I am so over it. If someone needs me, wants to tell or show me something, has a picture for me to see . . . They will find a way.

I am truly . . . DONE!

Sorry to learn DONE doesn't mean the same to FB organizers.

Debbie Jones said...

I totally agree with you. Facebook is one of those things in modern life that we truly cannot get away from. I think it is wrong. We should not have to be "hooked into" FB forever. I totally understand your feelings towards it. I am still on FB, but am limiting myself to checking in only once or twice a week. You are so right it is a total time waster. People, even adults, will use Facebook as a way to bully, intimidate and try to control others. By the way, I am a new follower, having found your blog from Happyone's Blog. Looking forward to more of your posts!

Una said...

I went on a social media training course at work and had to open a Facebook account as part of the training. Big mistake and I have said that clearly to the course organiser. Almost immediately I started receiving silly messages from complete strangers. I too have discovered it's not possible to completely delete an account. Computers didn't exist for most of my life so I know how to communicate with people if I want to. Thumbs down to FaceHook.

Anonymous said...

Same thing goes with google+ and linkedin....

Hindustanka said...

You shall probably write to the FB team and request them to DELETE your account and ask by the way, why wasn't it deleted.. I am anxious now, as even I deleted my old account and may be even it is still there... you never know. But certainly that once you show up in the internet, you are there forever.

Anonymous said...

Do you remember when I wrote about my love/hate relationship with Facebook? I'm still there. It is the easiest way for me to keep in touch with faraway family and friends and has afforded me the opportunity to get to know some people better. But still there are days that I hate it and there are times when I want to give it up...and I know I still spend way too much time there. As I said love/hate.
I really hate that you can't delete your account for good if that's what you choose. That is just wrong.
-Laura

Paula said...

I have a Facebook account. And there are many, many days that I wonder why! And I make all the excuses: to keep in touch with family and the few friends that I have kept. But that is not the truth. I could find other ways to stay in touch with them. Why do I really keep my Facebook account? I am addicited to Candy Crush Saga and I like playing it on Facebook. P.s. I also have two teens whom I monitor. Great post!