Over and Out.

Fun fact: Chappell Roan and I have something in common for 2026. I mean, aside from the obvious sexy looks and talent. In her \”year end\” message to her fans, she talked about walking away from social media and the positive effects of backing off from it on her general wellbeing and mental health. I think she\’s on to something so I\’m kicking off the new year by ditching the worst of the bunch (aside from whatever-we-call-twitter-now of course)…Facebook.

We all know why Facebook and most social media are bad for us. Even if we don\’t like to admit it, we *feel it as we doom-scroll. We know the algorithm captures us in toxic loops. We are aware of how they don\’t care about us as anything more than data buckets to fill and throw on their pet AI projects.

But even with all that, it\’s hard to leave. Right?!? As with any toxic relationship, you know you\’ll still miss it/them, no matter how horrible they are for you.

So, let\’s go over some of the reasons to leave this relationship:

• • They know what they are doing to us! You don\’t have to look any further than the \”Facebook Files\” and various whistleblowers. The most damning evidence comes from inside the company itself.

    The Wall Street Journal: The Facebook Files – Based on internal documents provided by whistleblower Frances Haugen, this series revealed that Facebook knew its platforms were harmful (specifically Instagram for teen girls) and that its algorithm fostered discord, yet they prioritized growth over safety.

    \”Facebook has repeatedly misled the public about what its own research reveals about the safety of children, the efficacy of its artificial intelligence systems, and its role in spreading divisive and extreme messages.\” — Frances Haugen (60 Minutes Interview)

    Amnesty International: Meta’s Role in the Rohingya Crisis – A report detailing how Facebook’s algorithmic systems were used to spread hatred against the Rohingya minority in Myanmar, contributing to real-world violence and ethnic cleansing.

• The Algorithm & Polarization – The Machine is built to make us angry!

  MIT Study: The Spread of False News – A massive study finding that falsehoods diffuse significantly farther, faster, deeper, and more broadly than the truth in all categories of information. Why? Because fake news is novel and evokes high-arousal emotions (anger/surprise). The algorithm favors engagement, and lies generate more engagement than truth.

  The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS): The Outrage Loop – Research showing that social media incentives (likes/shares) actually train users to express more outrage over time, creating a feedback loop of anger.
  
  

• Mental Health & Psychology – The impact on our brains and well-being.

  American Psychological Association: Social Media and Depression – A summary of research indicating that reducing social media use significantly improves body image and reduces depression and loneliness.

  Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology: Limiting Use – A University of Pennsylvania study that found limiting social media use to approximately 30 minutes per day resulted in significant reductions in loneliness and depression.

If you want something intellectual and definitive, I recommend Jaron Lanier. He is a computer philosophy writer and one of the fathers of Virtual Reality. He explains exactly why the business model (changing your behavior) is the problem.

• Video: \”How we need to remake the internet\” | Jaron Lanier (TED Talk)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ-PUXPVlos

So yeah. We\’re breaking up. It\’s not you, it\’s not me, it\’s Mark Zuckerberg. I\’m not saying whether everyone else should do the same or not. That\’s your call. Just make sure to take time for yourself, your real life friends and family, and for your own mental health and happiness.