'Quit Facebook' Protest Day Flops

[HardOCP News]

It looks like the “Quit Facebook Day” thing turned out to be a flop. Then again, it’s not like we haven’t been saying that the whole movement was overblown from the start, it’s just kinda funny to see it all end this way.

A day of planned protests against the social networking site Facebook appeared to flop after just over 30,000 of the site's 500 million users deleted their Facebook accounts.

 

[Jimi_Shuffler]

I'm not surprised if those 30,000 people re-activated their accounts. lol.

 

[Mnx4]

The numbers probably would have been double or triple had some of the members not reactivated their accounts to "Like" the movement's status activity.

 

[Azhar]

lol

A lot of my FB friends and relatives laughed at this planned event thinking it really silly to cry about privacy when you're posting your shit online or not taking the time to check out the privacy settings as instructed when you first create your account, and repeatedly instructed when they make changes to it.

 

[oROEchimaru]

people dont quit sm accounts, just let them fade away... normally

how many 27 year olds closed their myspace from when they were 21?

i dont know any.

how many let it die out and stop checking it ? tons.

 

[oROEchimaru]

Also I found it ironic, a person at work that posts ignorant anti-immigration stuff and how everyone should have passports and privacy invaded... signed off facebook for this antiprivacy movement lol

 

[Bahamut]

They needed Ashton Kutcher or somebody big to say "HEY MAN, I'M OUTTA HERE" and then things might happen, but as it is, nobody really cares unless some celeb does it first.

 

[Redleader]

This reminds me of the "Don't Buy Gas Day". We all know how well that turned out.

 

[TexUs]

lol

A lot of my FB friends and relatives laughed at this planned event thinking it really silly to cry about privacy when you're posting your shit online or not taking the time to check out the privacy settings as instructed when you first create your account, and repeatedly instructed when they make changes to it.

Heck, they even notify you of the freaking EASY new privacy controls. It's terrible freaking easy. Hit one button and everything gets set to "Friends Only"... people who bitch about Facebook privacy need to be shot nowadays.

The only thing that really pissed me off is them defaulting some of the new controls to "on". But again, if you pay attention to the notices, you can shut it off with just a couple clicks.

 

[srangara]

You cannot leave the Faceborg. Resistance is futile.

The numbers probably would have been double or triple had some of the members not reactivated their accounts to "Like" the movement's status activity.

Ha!

 

[IRSmurf]

It may not mean much to us, on the outside, when "only" 30,000 members quit.

What is important is that to each of these individuals, they feel somewhat empowered by no longer supporting this company.

It's the same way I feel about not buying Apple products and not having bought Modern Warfare 2. My decision not to support these products is a drop in the bucket, as far as Activation and Apple are concerned. But what is important, to me, is that I'm not giving a dime to these companies.

 

[TexUs]

It may not mean much to us, on the outside, when "only" 30,000 members quit.

Their entire thing was to get FB to change their policies by having a mass exodus. That didn't happen. They failed.

Yea, they might feel like they stuck it to the man (those who didn't come back the next day, anyway)... But their goal failed.

 

[jimmyb]

Their entire thing was to get FB to change their policies by having a mass exodus. That didn't happen. They failed.

How do you know what their goal was? Why do you presume that each of the departed had the same priorities? Many left because they didn't like the privacy settings, and by leaving have achieved exactly what they set out to.

 

[TexUs]

How do you know what their goal was? Why do you presume that each of the departed had the same priorities? Many left because they didn't like the privacy settings, and by leaving have achieved exactly what they set out to.

Then why plan a day and a group unless it wasn't to ALERT someone of their cause, hmmmm???

 

[jimmyb]

Then why plan a day and a group unless it wasn't to ALERT someone of their cause, hmmmm???

Because it doesn't do any harm in raising awareness if you're planning on leaving anyway.

 

[rusty12]

Guess I'm a day late, deleted my account today. Though, it wasn't because of privacy concerns, more so because I never used the stupid thing.

 

[lovelyx]

33,000 is not a flop at all in my opinion, I was expecting around 3,000 instead.

 

[TexUs]

Because it doesn't do any harm in raising awareness if you're planning on leaving anyway.

You missed the point. They created that group with a goal. That goal failed. Period.

33,000 is not a flop at all in my opinion, I was expecting around 3,000 instead.

It pales in comparison to the droves of people joining though. Again like I said, their goal was to raise awareness... When people are flocking to the thing in much greater numbers than you have telling them to flee: you didn't win.

 

[TexUs]

And heck. If their ultimate goal was security, Facebook's new security features solved it. One click of "Friends-Only" and you're done. Soooo, back to the question of "leaving anyway", they apparently didn't even give a rats-ass about security or the new security features would've satisfied them.

I bet most of those 30,000 people will be back in two weeks.

 

[MacLeod]

Kinda pathetic in my opinion. All the things going on in the world and THIS is what these people put their efforts in to?

 

[Blade]

and 20k will be reactivated before the end of the week so they can continue stalking someone

 

[Insula Gilliganis]

You cannot leave the Faceborg. Resistance is futile.

Ain't that the truth!! Listened this weekend to "This Week In Tech" show 0249 which had Leo and his cohorts spenting from around 6:00 to 38:00 of the podcast basically saying that people don't have a choice BUT to be ON Faceborg because it has become the "de facto" place to search for people - Leo left it as he feels he has plenty of ways for people to contact him (website, Twitter, Google Buzz & Profile, etc) but acknowledges that it is "hideously useful for a lot of people, including businesses, and there isn't really much of an alternative". People who are looking to meet old friends and small businesses who don't want to put up a website aren't going to leave until the number of people leaving Faceborg reaches critical mass to a site that actually respects privacy. Unfortunately most people don't care about their privacy so aren't going to be outraged by much of what Faceborg does. If people are willing to share credit card numbers & sales info at sites like Blippy.com, then I doubt privacy is a top concern. I just know if I was someone looking to steal the identity of someone, Faceborg and all the associated Faceborg sites are sure making it easier and easier all the time!! You would think that people would want more control over their own information, not less, but the reality is that most people don't seem to care. Leo also said "What has happened is sufficient, whether their intend is for good or ill.. for me to not trust them to do the right thing, whether intentionally or not. I'm also seriously concerned about their open graph.. they are trying to co-op the Web.. I don't think it is good for the Internet."

 

[bucket]

I don't recall Facebook putting guns to everyone's heads and forcing them to create accounts.

This free service sucks, I want my money back.

 

[velusip]

I don't recall Facebook putting guns to everyone's heads and forcing them to create accounts.

This free service sucks, I want my money back.

"Man, you people are useless!" -- Facebook

 

[caddy]

I think 30,000 people would say it wasn't a flop for them.

 

[Hornet]

To me, its a failure

30k itself may look like a huge figure, but the percentage of users they represent is just too small that their account deletion is no different than any other ordinary user who decided to delete their account for whatever reason. They just choose to do it on the same day, but other than that, it doesn't make any difference.

Facebook isn't going to response to that, and so they fail to get the reaction they hope for or any reaction at all.

 

[DyNe__]

lol

A lot of my FB friends and relatives laughed at this planned event thinking it really silly to cry about privacy when you're posting your shit online or not taking the time to check out the privacy settings as instructed when you first create your account, and repeatedly instructed when they make changes to it.

Yeah I thought the whole idea was kinda dumb, but I'm still aggravated with facebook... I've tried so hard to make sure absolutely nothing gets posted on people's news feeds, but I absolutely cannot do it. If I set everything to "only me" it still posts on people's feeds if I change my profile, become a fan of a page, hell even when I posted on someone's wall it showed up on the news feed. Even with the changes facebook is not giving me the privacy options I want... one solution would be to have a page where it literally shows you news feed posts involving your name, and then giving you the option to remove that. I mean, I would obviously prefer to be able to prevent posts from being made, but at the very least let me know what is getting posted about or from me.

 

[verteron]

Maybe I is one. There are far too many people getting malware on FB, and getting their house broken into when they post when they'll be on vacation, getting fired for private party's, arrested for underage drinking, and on and on. It seems that this generation is clueless as to why privacy matters, and it isn't just for crime.

It doesn't matter to me how easy the privacy controls are now. Go ahead, shoot me. Facebook has proven that we are their product for the advertisers, not the other way around. They will do just enough to keep the sheeple in line and twittering and farming.

Just watch as those privacy controls slide back again, just a little. Bit by bit. You won't notice. The fact that it is simple now, is a distraction. The ease of changing it as well. The damn thing needs to be SET AND DONE! I've got better things to do than micro-mange the current FAD.

Nope. I lost faith in them. I am gone. Deleted friends, pictures, details, and lastly, deleted the account. Yea, it takes 14 days for the deletion to be permanent, and I could email support to hurry it along. But I am in no hurry. I am not compelled to check it. I largely quit last year anyway.

I do miss long lost friends finding me, but family just needs to use the phone, or at least email. And quit telling me about your walk, or workout, or kids party, spit-up, whatever!

Finally, I wonder what the number of quitters really is? How many quit? I did, and I did not even sign the petition. I figured signing the petition was like demanding something from Facebook, do such and such "or else." My mind was already made. I just delayed my departure to coincide with quit day.

I wonder if they broke the "Flop Barrier!"

Please... keep it real.

 

[Hornet]

Maybe I is one. There are far too many people getting malware on FB, and getting their house broken into when they post when they'll be on vacation, getting fired for private party's, arrested for underage drinking, and on and on. It seems that this generation is clueless as to why privacy matters, and it isn't just for crime.

It doesn't matter to me how easy the privacy controls are now. Go ahead, shoot me. Facebook has proven that we are their product for the advertisers, not the other way around. They will do just enough to keep the sheeple in line and twittering and farming.

IMO, facebook merely make it easier for these dumb people to shoot themself in the foot.

Anyone with some common sense would know not to announce to the entire world that they will be away on a long vacation or they are having a private party. They could just send out private messages if they insist on using facebook to invite people, but most of these kids just feel the need to post all these stuff so everyone can see, to gain attention, show the world they are cool or whatever, but cry foul when something bad happens

If people would just put any info there that they don't mind others knowing about, and keep the private stuff off the internet, they wouldn't have gotten into trouble.


Though I still wish all crooks are dumb enough to post their crime online and get arrested

 

[TexUs]

I've tried so hard to make sure absolutely nothing gets posted on people's news feeds, but I absolutely cannot do it.

Because it's open to your friends.
All the news feed does is, instead of me having to check a couple hundred friend's profiles for updates, it throws them all into one feed. What's in the newsfeed respects your privacy settings. If I don't have permission to see your posts, then they won't show up in my newsfeed. If I do, then it will.

That's like saying you want to mow your lawn without the neighbors knowing. They have access (visual) to your lawn to see what you're doing. People have access to your profile to see what you post.

If you don't want people to see it then you need to delete them as friends.

 

[DyNe__]

Because it's open to your friends.
All the news feed does is, instead of me having to check a couple hundred friend's profiles for updates, it throws them all into one feed. What's in the newsfeed respects your privacy settings. If I don't have permission to see your posts, then they won't show up in my newsfeed. If I do, then it will.

That's like saying you want to mow your lawn without the neighbors knowing. They have access (visual) to your lawn to see what you're doing. People have access to your profile to see what you post.

If you don't want people to see it then you need to delete them as friends.

No, sorry that isn't how the settings currently work. Like I said, there is no way to control exactly what gets posted, such as when you change your profile or "likes," even if I set every setting to "only me." I've already tested this a few times on several different facebook accounts; if I add an "activity" or new music interest it will ALWAYS get posted no matter what settings I have enabled. I don't care if those I'm friends with see my wall posts or see me tagged in a photo, but it annoys me when all of the little profile maintenance type changes get posted on my friends' feeds. I mean honestly, how hard would it be to give me a page so I know exactly what is getting posted about me? All of my friends already have access to that information, but I don't.

 

[TexUs]

No, sorry that isn't how the settings currently work. Like I said, there is no way to control exactly what gets posted,

Yes, there is. You post it: it gets posted. You don't post it: it doesn't get posted.

if I add an "activity" or new music interest it will ALWAYS get posted no matter what settings I have enabled.

Because it's a PROFILE item that ALL YOUR FRIENDS CAN SEE.
Just like changing the paint on your house.
You can change it, and nobody will know about it unless they drive by. Just because it isn't broadcasted as "Jimmy painted his house" doesn't mean it's not public, because anyone can drive by and see the change of color.
Facebook's news feed is like a patrol, alerting you of stuff. They constantly drive around town looking for color changes. "Jimmy painted his house today!" Your profile changes ANYONE CAN SEE (given they're your friend), hence it'll show up in the news feed.

This is seriously not rocket science.

 

[DyNe__]

Yes, there is. You post it: it gets posted. You don't post it: it doesn't get posted.

No, really? If I don't do something it won't do it all by itself?

Because it's a PROFILE item that ALL YOUR FRIENDS CAN SEE.
Just like changing the paint on your house.
You can change it, and nobody will know about it unless they drive by. Just because it isn't broadcasted as "Jimmy painted his house" doesn't mean it's not public, because anyone can drive by and see the change of color.
Facebook's news feed is like a patrol, alerting you of stuff. They constantly drive around town looking for color changes. "Jimmy painted his house today!" Your profile changes ANYONE CAN SEE (given they're your friend), hence it'll show up in the news feed.

What I am saying is I want to be able to control that, I don't think people really give a shit to be alerted every time I make a change, and I'd prefer they don't get notified... but if they would like to go see on my profile page then they can go right ahead (you seriously would like it if an article was printed in your local paper that your house was painted? that shit is entirely meaningless...). I don't see what is so complicated about this, I just want more control over the actual posts, and like I said before an easy way to do that is just allow everyone a page that lists all of the news feed posts about you your friends can see, and then allow you to remove it. Facebook's "simplification" is just that, too simple... they lump a bunch of shit together that I'd rather have direct individual control over if I want to (ie they can give people a simple option, but also allow people to go in and change some advanced controls).

 

[TexUs]

Being you're the first person that cares, don't hold your breath.
That's not a privacy issue, you're just bitching about a feature to bitch about it. You don't like it? Then don't use it.

 

[MrGuvernment]

Good, 30k less idiots on facebook who cant be bothered to change some settings.

 

[MrGuvernment]

you seriously would like it if an article was printed in your local paper that your house was painted?

Different things that dont compare...., you don't get things posted to people that aren't your friends, only your friends that YOU added see it, it is kind of the point of facebook, i dont want to have to go to my 47 friends pages to see what is new if anything, the feed puts it all in one place for me.

 

[DyNe__]

Being you're the first person that cares, don't hold your breath.
That's not a privacy issue, you're just bitching about a feature to bitch about it. You don't like it? Then don't use it.

Haha, first person maybe you've heard... most of my friends from college hate it just as much as I do. To say it isn't a privacy issue is silly. You may not agree with me, but this whole argument really goes back 3 years ago when the news feed was first implemented; it makes it much easier to facebook stalk people and for everyone to know what you are doing on the site.

Different things that dont compare...., you don't get things posted to people that aren't your friends, only your friends that YOU added see it, it is kind of the point of facebook, i dont want to have to go to my 47 friends pages to see what is new if anything, the feed puts it all in one place for me.

I was just using what he said. I know it probably wasn't the best analogy.

 

[Cerulean]

lol

A lot of my FB friends and relatives laughed at this planned event thinking it really silly to cry about privacy when you're posting your shit online or not taking the time to check out the privacy settings as instructed when you first create your account, and repeatedly instructed when they make changes to it.

+1

QFT

 

[jimmyb]

You missed the point. They created that group with a goal. That goal failed. Period.

The individual's goal was to leave facebook. This was successfully accomplished for all those who participated.

Regarding the goal of the group (or the group creator's intent in creating the group): you don't know the specific metrics envisioned by the creator to consider it a success. Perhaps the creator would be satisfied if only one person was convinced to leave. If that was the case, then the group was indeed a success by the goals it was created for. Perhaps the goal was to elicit conversation of the topic of privacy; again by this metric it was a success.

The point is you don't know. You're defining your own measure of success and then calling it a failure, when the people involved may have far more relaxed expectations of what they were trying to achieve.

 

[TexUs]

To say it isn't a privacy issue is silly.

Even if it didn't show up in your news feed for all to see, ANY of your friends can go look at your profile and see it.

Therefore, it's not a privacy issue.