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As others have said with X it's just an absolute cesspit. I can't open social media in general without seeing misinformation from groups, pages or influencers that I've never followed or engaged with. I can't scroll through a couple of posts without someone telling me to buy something that I definitely don't need or want. I can't look at comments under a news story without seeing overt racism (actual racism, not just subtle xenophobia dressed up as genuine concerns)
How has it come to this? Has anyone completely left all social media and care to share their experiences? Any tips for making it a happier place without leaving entirely? (I already try to curate my feeds as best as possible by saying what content I do and don't like, but that doesn't make a difference)
I feel like I'd miss a lot of things like music recommendations, gig listings, Facebook marketplace which is genuinely quite useful. I do a lot of running so event info is also quite often only available on socials e.g whether a particular parkrun has been cancelled that morning
I also run a couple of accounts for small community groups that I'm involved with and so even if I deleted my personal accounts I'd still need to go on there, but it's just so bloody depressing!
*obvs not counting twtd
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Anyone got any experience of leaving social media entirely* on 16:18 - Nov 4 with 561 views
I switched from X to Bluesky and follow people I am interested on there, but don't post anything. I unfollowed everyone on X apart from a few football accounts such as ITFC. Sadly ITFC are not on Bluesky, but TWTD are. I find it very uncomfortable to log onto X, especially after the Grok/Hitler thing, as it is so awful.
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Anyone got any experience of leaving social media entirely* on 17:13 - Nov 4 with 504 views
Anyone got any experience of leaving social media entirely* on 15:32 - Nov 4 by WeWereZombies
And easier still to eat your breakfast with a spoon...sorry, couldn't resist.
Anyway, this place and YouTube are the only remotely social media things I do (as well as using Wikipedia much more than I ever thought I would.) YouTube is paying dividends - I got a notification this morning that I have been awarded a badge for being a top listener to The Eagles, wonder if it will be enamel or silver-plated tin ?
I had binned everything apart from Reddit which I came off of earlier this year.
It's tricky because you tend to miss out on some news you wouldn't see but I do feel I get a bit more done and listen to music more. X/Facebook etc is just vile, well rid.
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Anyone got any experience of leaving social media entirely* on 10:51 - Nov 5 with 427 views
- Rarely go on Facebook these days. - I do like Reddit for the wrestling and fantasy books subreddits. - Discord for some interests. - X is a cesspit but I do find myself on it occasionally.
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Anyone got any experience of leaving social media entirely* on 11:47 - Nov 5 with 408 views
How do we define leaving social media, as the thing is quite broad - in a sense, we're using it here on the forums, when we interact with you tube, read an op-ed piece, the list goes on...
To not use Facebook was easy, messaging services (although is this social media too? have helped bridge the gap that costly calling fees or text rates once posed, Facebook is irrelevant
Twitter was difficult to enjoy at it's height, but now with musk all over it - it is easy to ignore; the rebrand to X helped this.
Most of Instagram is gated behind sing-ups, so is easy to ignore
TikTok is subjective as to how easy it is to ignore, but there isn't a whole lot I find of value there either.
Whilst social media opens up the world, I find if far more enjoyable just focusing my energy on local issues and engagement, but not being oblivious to things going on in the world.
Something I have posted at many points in this journey from "connecting people" to "dividing people" is that social media is a breeding ground for "Team A" vs "Team B" content, and smart people discovered this for Trump and modern day politics. Making someone feel part of something and joining a movement against/for something they wouldn't ordinarily be too fussed about is exactly why social media is silently hazardous. It builds bubble around you and funnels content it deems as most compatible to you and once in those bubbles the voices get louder and are relatively unchecked as people get more and more enabled.
So whilst one can try to give up on social media, social media never gives up on you - and I mean that ominously. Also, push notifications are predatory, so I would highly recommend turning those off as a first affirming step.
One last point though, by proxy of the conversations others have with and around you; you will still be part of social media, sadly.
Anyone got any experience of leaving social media entirely* on 13:49 - Nov 4 by bluelagos
So my advice would be to simply be selective about who you engage with - much as you would in real life.
If someone drinks in your pub who is an a vile prick - do you stop drinking in the pub or use the other bar and avoid them? Or if a neighbour is objectionable do you not walk down the street or simply choose not to stop and chat?
Apply the same logic on social media would be my advice. There's a couple of posters on here who I find difficult - and simply choose to rarely engage/respond to them as I think they are bellends. Am sure there are plenty that do the same with me too.
Better than falling out and/or one of you losing it and getting a ban-hammer.
[Post edited 4 Nov 14:23]
I dunno, if there's a vile prick at my local pub I use the other bar. If the entire pub is full of vile pricks, I drink elsewhere.
X is definitely the latter, with the addition of a landlord who puts up A-boards on the street inviting vile pricks to come inside and then hands them a microphone.
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Anyone got any experience of leaving social media entirely* on 12:08 - Nov 5 with 388 views
Anyone got any experience of leaving social media entirely* on 11:47 - Nov 5 by wkj
How do we define leaving social media, as the thing is quite broad - in a sense, we're using it here on the forums, when we interact with you tube, read an op-ed piece, the list goes on...
To not use Facebook was easy, messaging services (although is this social media too? have helped bridge the gap that costly calling fees or text rates once posed, Facebook is irrelevant
Twitter was difficult to enjoy at it's height, but now with musk all over it - it is easy to ignore; the rebrand to X helped this.
Most of Instagram is gated behind sing-ups, so is easy to ignore
TikTok is subjective as to how easy it is to ignore, but there isn't a whole lot I find of value there either.
Whilst social media opens up the world, I find if far more enjoyable just focusing my energy on local issues and engagement, but not being oblivious to things going on in the world.
Something I have posted at many points in this journey from "connecting people" to "dividing people" is that social media is a breeding ground for "Team A" vs "Team B" content, and smart people discovered this for Trump and modern day politics. Making someone feel part of something and joining a movement against/for something they wouldn't ordinarily be too fussed about is exactly why social media is silently hazardous. It builds bubble around you and funnels content it deems as most compatible to you and once in those bubbles the voices get louder and are relatively unchecked as people get more and more enabled.
So whilst one can try to give up on social media, social media never gives up on you - and I mean that ominously. Also, push notifications are predatory, so I would highly recommend turning those off as a first affirming step.
One last point though, by proxy of the conversations others have with and around you; you will still be part of social media, sadly.
'Whilst social media opens up the World' - does it ? If you really want some idea of what's going on read 'The Economist' each week. Just set a couple of days aside and you're good.
Anyone got any experience of leaving social media entirely* on 13:33 - Nov 4 by Swansea_Blue
My only guilty pleasures are this place and YouTube for music videos. I do unfortunately have a Facebook account, but only use that to see info about the kid’s activities and will bin it as soon as they leave school. It certainly eases the stress by not being on X and similar places, so yes I’d recommend it. It takes a concerted effort to break the habit of constantly looking at your phone though - I struggle and that’s just because of this place.
Same here, just use this place and YouTube for music videos.
Not sure why but this thread is sorta reminding me of some kinda AA meeting.
My name is Leitrim and I'm a heavy user of TWTD. It's been 16 hours since my last hit..
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Anyone got any experience of leaving social media entirely* on 12:19 - Nov 5 with 370 views
I've slightly gone the other way, but just with Facebook, which I now seem to be hooked on. That may not last though as I'm suddenly getting these videos where a guy with a camara (often a drone too) goes and films people who don't want to be filmed and records their reactions. Pure trash. Bring back the building log cabins in the wilderness!
Has anyone ever looked at their own postings for last day or so? Oh my... so sorry. Was Ullaa
Sky have just issued this timely piece on an investigation into X. I don’t think it tells us anything that wasn’t known already, but hopefully it’ll spread the message about what X is now. Good to see some media in the mainstream prepared to report on it.
Davey sums it up best: Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey MP believes the government isn't taking Elon Musk's role in fuelling division in Britain seriously enough. "He's interfering in the free speech of our country and that's why I think we should get a lot more serious and try to push back very hard," he told Sky News.
"We should be far more alarmed than people seem to be. This is impacting our politics, impacting people's views, and I think it's toxic to a good democracy."
Anyone got any experience of leaving social media entirely* on 13:18 - Nov 4 by Denny32
Throw away your phone and just get a basic phone. Old nokia
Wife has a Dorro Leva and is very pleased with it. As she is over 80 and tech has never been her thing. Also her texts are short and sweet due to the old style keypad.
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Anyone got any experience of leaving social media entirely* on 18:28 - Nov 6 with 109 views
I've only got LinkedIn now as it's handy for work, and Blue Sky for similar reasons. Not missed Facebook or X at all, both had become virtually unusable for different reasons and not the kind of platforms I want to support or to have my data.
Anyone got any experience of leaving social media entirely* on 18:28 - Nov 6 by Trequartista
Just don't select the "For You" tab?
....people wouldn't be able to whinge about it if they did that!
I can understand people not using twitter because Musk is a knobhead, but to not use it because you don't like the content you see makes no sense when you can literally follow who you want and not follow/block those that you find offensive.
I find it amusing that most of the people on here that moan about the content on twitter are the same ones that say "there is a football tab you know!!" when people moan about the amount of childish political squabbling on here.
"People are strange" - Jim Morrison 1967
"I saw him at the match last week, what a legend. I was slightly overcome to be honest” - TWTD User (Nov 2025)
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That's far too sensible.... on 19:49 - Nov 6 with 54 views
That's far too sensible.... on 18:54 - Nov 6 by Bloots
....people wouldn't be able to whinge about it if they did that!
I can understand people not using twitter because Musk is a knobhead, but to not use it because you don't like the content you see makes no sense when you can literally follow who you want and not follow/block those that you find offensive.
I find it amusing that most of the people on here that moan about the content on twitter are the same ones that say "there is a football tab you know!!" when people moan about the amount of childish political squabbling on here.
"People are strange" - Jim Morrison 1967
Well quite. Ironically my "Following" tab content has become more right-leaning simply because a lot of the left-leaning people I follow don't tweet anymore or have left!
That's far too sensible.... on 19:49 - Nov 6 by Trequartista
Well quite. Ironically my "Following" tab content has become more right-leaning simply because a lot of the left-leaning people I follow don't tweet anymore or have left!
[Post edited 6 Nov 19:49]
....repeating stuff they've seen on twitter and moaning about it!
"I saw him at the match last week, what a legend. I was slightly overcome to be honest” - TWTD User (Nov 2025)
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