In fall 2015, I deleted the Facebook app in order to reclaim time I spent on my cell phone. I didn’t miss it. After a few months and some holiday party invite near-misses, I realized I was logging in to Facebook so infrequently that I felt disingenuous letting folks believe they could use it to contact me. So in early 2016, I deactivated my account. Not deleted, deactivated. I first opened my Facebook account in 2004, and I wasn’t quite ready to shut down the accumulated photographic record of my 20s. I added a “not on Facebook” disclaimer to my email after running into two friends within a week who were both surprised I was unaware of a recent major life event.
After that I didn’t think about it much.
But I stayed on Instagram. It felt like an easier, lower-key Facebook. I follow fewer people, and I still wanted some way to keep up with friends who live far away. Facebook bought Instagram, and I tried to pretend there would be some cursory separation. Then I heard a horror story about a friend of a friend snapping a picture of some small kitchen appliance, not to post anywhere but so that he could buy it for himself later, and then seeing ads for that same appliance show up on his Facebook feed. I turned off Instagram’s access to my photos except for the moments when I’m posting.
And then I found out I can access my Instagram “ad interests”.
Earth
Rhythm and blues music
George Harrison
Newspapers
One friend called it “my subconscious,” or, alternately, “a list of things I don’t hate.” Both seem about right, although the latter feels much more benign. It’s less the list itself that makes me uncomfortable than its scope. I clicked “more” and “more” and “more” and still I never made it to the bottom. Is this really what it would be like to open my brain up? Are there truths on this list that I hide from myself, or are the robots just wrong?
Boston sports
Astronomy
Luxury goods
Salzburg
Another friend suggested I append my email signature to read “off of Facebook since 2016, but still on the ‘gram, because what am I, an unfeeling automaton?”
Hair products
Concept art
Atlantic Ocean
Weaving
So now what do I do?
Kite surfing
Bollywood movies
List of United States cities by population
Typography
I still want superficial, random little glimpses of my friend who lives on the other side of the country, another friend’s baby, someone else’s travel photos. I want to believe these friends enjoy the snippets I beam back at them. I just wish my subconscious could be entirely my own.
Art movement
Pop music
Televisions
Universe
Liz Welsh 