10 Reasons I’m Not On Facebook

1. I hate the way Facebook uses the word ‘friend’ – the word has been utterly debased.

2. I don’t need it – I’m already well plugged in to the social web via Twitter, Linkedin, Flickr, YouTube etc – if people want to engage with me there are loads of routes already in place. Business contacts stay in touch through Linkedin, Twitter, email, or – dare I say it – by good old telephone.

3. I already waste enough time on the interweb using Twitter, Linkedin and thousands of other websites. I don’t need another reason to spend more time online.

4. Privacy happens to be important to me – why is that when it comes to the phone book half my friends are ex-directory, but pretty much all of them are on Facebook? It’s a mystery. And why would anyone possibly want to use Facebook Places? Maybe I’m a luddite, but the implications of it make me feel sick.

5. I don’t want old school ‘friends’ and randoms getting in touch with me – I’m already in touch with my real friends. Harsh but true.

6. Tag my arse – if you’ve taken a picture of me, that’s your business and I’m not going to worry about it. But what is the benefit to me of having my ugly mug plastered round the internet with a clickable sign round my neck?

7. The adverts are creepy.  I don’t necessarily want to be sold something to ‘help’ me with every last thing that’s going on in my life.  Leave me be.  It’s quite revealing that Facebook doesn’t offer the option of a premium service that is advert-free.

8. It cause headaches with mates – I have no appetite for deciding who can and can’t be ‘friends’ with me, no desire to be left wondering why a ‘friend’ hasn’t replied to my messages despite the fact that they are visibly using Facebook and therefore ignoring me, no interest in who declares themselves single/taken and when and why and what for.

9. Too much information – pokes, likes, invitations, notifications, suggestions… oh piss off.

10. I get a childish kick out of going against the flow, being stubborn and not doing what everyone else is doing. I admit it.

Coming up next: ’10 reasons why I really should be on Facebook’