10 reasons why I avoid social networking services

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By Alan Norton

July 9, 2012, 6:19 AM PDT

Takeaway: Social networking has had a huge impact on how we communicate and interact — but some people refuse to get caught up in the trend. Alan Norton explains why he’s one of them.

I have a confession to make. I don’t do social networking. That’s not that unusual for someone my age. Just 8% of all Facebook users fall into my age group. Nonetheless, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, social networking is popular and still growing. While only 8% of adult Internet users used social networking sites in 2005, that number had grown to 65% by 2011. Why then do some people in general and older Internet users in particular avoid social networking services? I can give you 10 reasons why this experienced ancient one doesn’t use them.

1: I have privacy concerns

The recent IPO of Facebook wasn’t as successful as its backers wanted. But it was successful bringing to the public’s attention Facebook’s privacy concerns. I, like many others, don’t fully understand how serious those concerns are. It does make for a great excuse though to avoid Facebook altogether. Putting your personal information in the care of others, no matter how diligent their stewardship, increases your risk of that information getting into the hands of third parties.
Our image is, in part, defined by our words. Each of us should ask how much of ourselves we want to give to people we don’t even know. Once gone, that private piece of our lives can never be retrieved.

2: Ownership of content is unclear

Who actually owns and who controls “your” intellectual content that you post is not as clear as you might think. Terms vary by social networking service, but typically you give up control of how your content may be used. Which raises the question: If you don’t control it, do you really own it? It isn’t clear who legally owns your content. The Twitter Terms of Service as of July 4, 2012, clearly states that you own the content you post:
“You retain your rights to any Content you submit, post or display on or through the Services….But what’s yours is yours — you own your Content (and your photos are part of that Content).”
According to a New York judge, however, Twitter owns your Tweets. That should at least cause you to pause before posting anything at any site other than your own. I am not a lawyer, but it appears that the legal ownership of your Tweets and other posted content may not be fully determined for years.

3: It’s too impersonal

Social networking offers an easy way to meet people — perhaps too easy. No commitment is required, and you can invest as much or as little of your time as you wish. Social networking services can be a great way to keep people at a distance: Interact only when and where you want with whom you want. That may be great for some people. I prefer more meaningful ways to interact, like face-to-face and over the phone. People value your full attention and time. Social interaction is only as rewarding as you are willing to make it, whether in person or online.

4: I want to minimize online gaffes

There is that risqué limerick you shared while in high school or those embarrassing statements you made about a former employer that can be found with a simple Web search. Pity the poor job interviewee grilled by an interviewer who did his homework and found your ignorance, or worse, the bad information you posted about a topic for which you are supposed to be an expert. If you must post, practice safe posting. Of course, abstinence means never having to say you’re sorry.

5: I want to minimize data points for possible data mining

Make a spelling mistake or grammatical error and you can be dinged for it forever. For me, it would be embarrassing as a writer and a blow to my ego but not a great loss. To a younger person interviewing for a job, consider what this report would do for a first impression:

It’s not likely that you will run across this level of detail at your next job interview. But it isn’t that difficult to collect such data — and you can bet that if it can be done, it will be done. Never mind the fact that such data is fraught with problems.

6: I don’t subscribe to social fads

Call me a rebel, please. I don’t like following the sheep to gain their acceptance. Clothing from Sears has always been my fashion statement, though the local thrift store has of late been getting my business. Twitter and Facebook may just be another fad that comes and goes, like AIM and MySpace.

7: I don’t like being pressured to join

The sinister way that social networking services sneak into even the most ardent holdout’s daily life is through invitations from friends and family members. Yes, I am now a lousy brother in law because I ignored an invitation from my brother’s wife to join her inside circle at Facebook. I became a rotten friend when I politely turned down a request to be in a friend’s LinkedIn professional network. Thank goodness my nephews and nieces have yet to ask me to “join up.” I would hate to be a terrible uncle too.

8: I don’t need the abuse

I used to think that posting at services like Usenet was something akin to self flagellation. Why would I risk being verbally flogged for posting what others might perceive as flame bait? I still don’t need the abuse but, thankfully, I no longer take name calling like “idiot” or “nimrod” as personally as I once did. Being flamed has instead become part of the profession “writer” and a badge of honor. Those who post on TechRepublic are a class act by comparison — people who disagree with me here call me “Mr. Norton.”

9: It’s more work

If your work is anything like my experiences in the cubicle, you already spend enough time typing when you answer emails, update status reports, and write code. It’s just no fun coming home to more of the same.
This may not apply to you, but when you write for a living, it’s not a lot of fun interacting socially with the written word. After calculating the amount of wisdom I spew forth per dollar received, I have to tell you, I am working cheap (1:51 - 2:23). I just can’t afford to give away my wisdom for free.

The bottom line…

…is that it’s just not me (#10). Some of us prefer to keep ourselves to our self. I have heard about certain sites that cater to the courtship rituals of modern Homo sapiens, but every day that goes by I become less modern than the day before. Neither do I need to network for a job, though I used to believe that getting published was far better than social networking when it came to that big job interview. My notoriety, or lack thereof, has me now questioning the accuracy of that belief. Then there’s the fact that I have yet to find a reason why I should tell countless others how totally devoid of meaning my life really is.
According to an analysis of tweets by Pear Analytics, 40% of all tweets are pointless babble. I have better ways to atrophy my brain, better ways to slowly turn my gray matter into mush. Is it possible that we will prefer communicating via machine rather than one on one? Personal social interaction could become a lost art. And it would be a shame for humanity to become so impersonal.
I can guess that some of you more analytical thinkers are saying, “Hold on there just a minute, Alan. You participate in the forums at TechRepublic. Doesn’t that make you a hypocrite?” I believe that every writer should be available to answer any questions that you, the patient reader, might have. What you may perceive as hypocrisy is merely relativistic disingenuous behavioral prioritization. I would be hypocritical if I didn’t participate. Besides, sometimes you’ve just gotta throw 10 silly reasons to the wind and risk acting the goat so you can help someone.

How about you?

Do you share some of these objections and concerns? Or have you come to rely on social networking as a means of enriching your life and advancing your career? Share your thoughts with other TechRepublic members.