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I’ll do it, but only if you’ll help

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Comments on this pledge

• So very tired of my life being absorbed and then abused by Facebook, with little care or concern on their part.
  Deanna Zandt, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I'm just fed up with it really.
  David Yaren, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Facebook seems to think they can do whatever they want with our information, and make it as hard as possible for us to protect a shred of privacy. Enough already!
  Leslie Hatfield, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I'm ok with living in public, but am tired of the approach to 'making' me do it.
  Michael Lewkowitz, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I've always thought Facebook was a blight on the internet. I hate the pressure to be part of it. I'm out.
  Matt, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I already left over these concerns. It's weird watching it continue to get worse.
  Pat Gun, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• The real challenge is to figure out what platform or protocol we can use to stay connected but also stay in control when we leave Facebook.
  
  I'm interested in the work being done around Activity Streams and Distributed Social Networks in this area. There's no reason to think Twitter (or Google, of course) won't be just as megalomaniacal given the opportunity.
  Ruby Sinreich, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I was on Facebook for a short while. Once I started hearing about their complete lack of concern for privacy I cancelled my account. They have reactivated it twice without my knowledge or permission. Google is getting to be as bad and I need to reassess my use of google and gmail.
  Bruce Fuentes, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Facebook and I are done-finished-over. And it felt damned good, too.
  Tom Kopacz, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• If you are reading this, then you have probably joined the movement away from FB. If you are looking for a new place to socialize online, check out ThreadThat.com. This site was specifically designed to allow groups of people to share conversation and files in private. The only piece of personal info you give up is an email address which is only used for notification purposes (when someone invites you to a new Thread or someone responds to a Thread you have access to). So, it is not possible for your personal info to be shared because there isn't any on the site. If you want to experience a secure, private, encrypted social environment, give it a look.
  Matt, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I use BlogDumps It's cool, you can get a blog and do all sorts of cool stuff create a video page share, music :)
  There are no privacy issues there and you can even email the owner of the site or IM him if you want to on the BlogDumps IM
  
  Peace
  Cordy, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Nuts!
  Ray Harrison, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Facebook is terrible. Their business practices should not be supported in any way. Average users don't get the implications of what they do when they stay there. They just hope in their inaction that something will change, nothing ever changes unless there is action. That action has to come from you. Protesting never cut it there, and the only thing you hear back from them is platitudes. Some people are happy to suck that down their gullet. I am not. I am done, and I've never been happier. Don't let them take advantage of your codependency there. Act.
  Andrea, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Bye Bye now! Won't miss it a bit...
  P Martin, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• If Facebook thinks what it is doing is right, then it would not make its opt-out procedure so difficult to use. This is the reason for me to quit.
  J Lillis, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• It's deleted.
  Steve A,, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Microsoft tried this 15 years ago when it tried to turn the WWW into an exclusive Microsoft single login network. When the early adopters of the Internet laughed at MS, they stopped trying.
  
  Facebook won't get away with it either. Sorry to put it this way, but only idiots will stay on Facebook longer than a few months the way it is now. When all the savvy people try it and leave there will only be idiots left to talk to each other, and they will have nothing to talk about.
  Jamal, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Deleted mine.
  Ron K., 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I deleted my account about 2 months ago; it was not a huge deal in my mind. It's not like Facebook invented friendship. If you're not on anymore your REAL friends will understand.
  jo, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Gone!
  Robert C., 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I have never even been on bookface, let alone join. I always thought it was a government plot to get people to freely volunteer personal information. And I don't need virtual "friends".
  Lenny Klakulak, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I have deleted my account. Its only a matter of time before someone is stalked and killed because of personal information gleaned from Facebook. I am sure that oppressive governments are already tracking Facebook users. I have no doubt that the US government is among them. Facebook is equivalent to virtual voyeurism.
  Tim Callahan, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• quit linkedin, too, when i found out i was being stalked. their privacy controls are horrible.
  renee m, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Why do you need 10,000 other people before you'll do the right thing? I deleted my account because FB is annoying and invasive. That was cause enough
  Joe Schmitz, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I have deleted my personal and professional info from my profile, and changed my religious status to: "I believe in privacy."
  
  I rely too heavily on fb for community updates, but will delete my account as soon as viable alternative is active (e.g. Diaspora).
  J Yates, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I've been on FB for a year, and on The Well (which I believe is the oldest still-existing internet community, celebrating its 25th year) for about ten years.
  
  I've had to change my privacy settings on FB four times already. I can't converse in depth; I'm constantly bombarded with advertising and visual gimmicks (no, I do not want to run a farm. I've worked on a farm, and it ain't cartoon animals and smiles 24/7!). I feel like for every benefit I've reaped - and there are some - I've spent hours looking over my shoulder wondering what's going to be taken from me next, and whether I'll even know.
  
  The Well meanwhile pumps along with few bells and whistles, but a vibrant, involved community where people know each other by name and engage in real conversations with no character limits. No ads anywhere, period. Nobody's information gets sold, period.
  
  Sometimes what's newer isn't always what's best. Having read this page and the stories linking to it, and having followed weeks of increasingly concerning news stories about FB, I'm on the verge of taking the pledge swearing it off.
  
  Meanwhile, I encourage everyone to look for alternatives - or help create them. For me, it's The Well, where you're welcome. If that's the wrong fit, try something else. But don't buy the idea the FB is the be-all and end-all of internet community. It's far from the first. It won't be the last. And we all need to vote with your keyboards, not blindly signing away our personal value.
  
  Disclaimer: I'm not employed by either FB or The Well, and receive no financial compensation from either. I'm just a fan of the latter and a reluctant, increasingly dissatisfied member of the former!
  Wellbeing, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Really... What ever happened to privacy? I'm as transparent in what I do as anyone, but I also have a LIFE! So many kids don't yet, and their perspective of what a "friend" is has been warped and rendered obsolete. Friends mean more to me than this... Meanwhile, being sucked into the void of "social networking" is just kinda gross. Come on people... Get out of the house and OFF the phone!
  Todd Ahlberg, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• My wife and I became concerned that with every change in formatting you had to go back and opt out of having personal information made public. Even with everything personal, your listing of "friends" remains public. We have both deleted every bit of data out of our profiles and deactivated our accounts. I have helped two other people, so far, to do the same. All it took was a cyberstalker finding me... I wanted to be sure those with whom I corresponded did not become his next victims.
  Craig Rothhammer, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Veribu is a great alternative to Facebook. It's similar, doesn't have any of the privacy issues, new & fun, and also allows you to make video calls, phone calls, and send text messages through the web browser. It really has a shot to catch on I think.
  John Anderson, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• It feels like spitting into the wind, but there is way too much of this "cyber-comms". I hope we shall learn to write and send hard copy.. to and from the intended participants, not the undefined and unknown universe.
  
  I quit fBook last week... if I were still aboard you'd have my pledge. Good luck
  the Captain, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I think that if you are stupid enough to put your information out there for everyone to see then you can't very well blame FB for that. Should they quit changing there privacy settings...HELL YES! but when it comes down to it, it's all about how much information WE give them. I myself have a specific e-mail account that I send all non-private information to, I never use my personal one. So in reality, if you put your info on there, then you are the one responsible for it, also as parents we are responsible to make sure that our children know what information is safe to put out there and what is not
  Paul, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• What a drama queen. If you wanna leave, leave! Why all the production over it. Seems like a catch22--if you want all this attention you should stay on it.
  Enigma, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I, my mother and father have deleted our accounts
  Thomas Derenthal, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• All gone now. Took the preemptive measure of deleting all of my posts, all of my pictures, all of my links, and deleting all of my friends before going, just in case FaceHook thought they'd hang onto them in the event that somebody deletes there account, you know. Not that they couldn't hang onto them anyway, but because there may be something special in deleting a whole account rather than in just removing other things.
  
  Their little message at the end is pretty classy, as well: your account will be deleted 14 days from now, pretty much, unless you log back in, in which case they'll reactivate it. So, there's no way to make it go away any immediately, you just have to trust that they'll delete the information in 2 weeks. Right. Trust FaceHook.
  David T. Macknet, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• It seems Google Friend Connect will be part of the solution now.
  Sponsor Blog, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I can no longer in good conscience support Facebook. I've decided to leave Facebook on May 31st and have started a blog called LivingWithoutFacebook to document my experience and to provide hope to the rest of us taking part in this exodus. If anyone has good alternatives to discuss, please let me know. I would love to have helpful links on the site.
  Ryan Benhase, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I signed up to Waste Book last summer, and have found it utter silliness. Why anyone would want to be on it is beyond me. I have happily DELETED!
  Robert Presley, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I deleted Facebook because I spent too much time looking into people's lives-- a type of "virtual voyeurism" as another user mentioned. I felt Facebook became a superficial space to show off, at least for my generation and younger (20-year-olds). Like Twitter, this consistent connection with people became about one's ego. I started thinking about why we constantly update our statuses through the internet-- and it really was about 'status'. I began looking around, literally, to see my friends and family always on their computers and phones. Life started becoming about living on the internet rather than living in real life.
  
  I feel disconnected without Facebook (it's been about a month now) but that is the point. I should not have to feel negative feelings because I am not signed up on a website. So, I raise my glass to making decisions for yourself. Real life is sweeter than any representation of it.
  Anonymous, 2 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I left fbook a few weeks ago. if anyone wants to write on my wall they're welcome to come over and I'll give them a can of spray paint.
  bon -voyage, 2 years ago. Abusive? Report it!

Current signatories (= they've done it)

Josh Levy, the Pledge Creator, joined by:

• Deanna Zandt
• Joshua Biggley
• Xenophrenia
• sarah kennon
• Anne Mai Bertelsen
• Andrea Whitfill
• Neal Bastek
• Travis Henry
• Joe Anthony
• Amanda F Lipsey
• Dave Moulton
• Avi Zenilman
• peter cowan
• Casey Hughes
• Andreas
• Arif Mamdani
• Matt M.
• Ruby Sinreich
• Lauren Rabaino
• Edward Twitgeridoo
• Darlene Wilcox Easson
• Lila Symons
• Tom Kopacz
• Andrew Rodgers
• Patrick Magee
• Bill nobes
• Michael
• E.T.
• Dylan Marriner
• Ash Roulston
• Caleb Butler
• Jeanne Brooks
• Candace Williams
• Kristin Green
• Robert Zandt
• L. Michael Mcnab
• Beth Ann Rocheleau
• Hanh Quach
• Colin Maynes
• Samo
• Mazarine
• Claudia
• Andrea F
• Stefan Ernsting
• Edward M. Shain
• Amanda im Netz
• Peter Nilsson
• Andrea Phillips
• Michael Wellck
• Jason Ward
• Jonathan Levin
• Nate Swart
• Audrey
• Tony Sherwood
• Rob Wilkerson
• Laura R
• Meredith Hunter
• Chris Rink
• Roger Lai
• Peter Selig
• Russ Smith
• Hari Krishna Vemuri
• Howie Rosenblatt
• Tudor Radoaca
• Rina
• J Sweeney
• E.L.
• Luis Roca
• Derek H
• Jack McCullough
• flo
• @losingface on Twitter
• Robert Howsam
• Allen Price
• Terry TK Kaye
• Eliza Sarasohn
• Ray Harrison
• jetman
• Shinjinee Sen
• Alexander van Olst
• David Bloomfield
• Ed Farnbauch
• Chris Suver
• David Uber
• Roth
• Steve A,
• Simone
• Christophe Thomas
• Oscar Preis
• Marc Fernandez
• Josh Stivers
• Barbara Kiernoziak
• Doug Johnson
• David Walker
• David Halberstadt
• Colin Simone
• Todd Ahlberg
• Ada Lai
• David T. Macknet
• Bob Derenthal
• Jason B
• Kris Casler
• james street
• Darryl Everett
• Jason Melo
• James McFarlane
• Dawn Agozzino
• Anne Bougie
• saidimu apale
• Mariusz Nowostawski
• Amy Chirman
• Dan Lewis
• Andy Gourevitch
• Kurt P bailed 6 mo. ago
• Ray Thompson
• Richard Dean
• Andrew Betts
• Robert C.
• Joyce Stad
• Jason Pratt
• Rukkas Hu
• renee m
• Joe Schmitz
• Tim Callahan
• Mike Jeung
• Jonah Greene
• Lisah Horner
• Dean Longhurst
• Stacia Carr
• Brandi Marino
• Jon Norwood
• Tanya Crisci
• Allison Huynh
• wagner creek talent
• Shane O.
• timber young
• Bob Skinner
• John Grizzell
• Dan Sadler
• carolina clare
• Dan O'Loughlin
• John Hayes
• Alan Ackerman
• Brian Ask
• Craig Rothhammer
• Jon Mills
• Pat Wiman
• Michael Crook
• Chris Atkins
• Jim Domenico
• Dave S
• Tadd
• Monica Esdaile-Grande
• Thomas Derenthal
• Kelvin Cook
• Jean Mecorney
• Gabriel Cervo
• Diane Tierney
• Eric Johnson
• Jil
• Paul Kirk
• Alexander H.
• Elaine Betts
• Dana O'D
• Sarah Dorsey
• Poly Arcos
• LeAnne Wacker
• Steven Ross
• Ryan Benhase
• Stein A. Petersen
• Robert Presley
• Adam DeRidder
• Pita Poison
• surya pratap
• Klaus Helbig
• Thomas Heinen
• Deanna
• Pascal K.
• Salal Moon Rinaldo
• Derendorfer
• Mary Anicich
• Leon Bayer
• Dimitris Sarris
• masterdot
• Mirco da Silva
• Timothy J. Lennox
• Sebastian Scho
• Lori R-C
• G.D.K.
• ifigeneia
• David S
• Aycha Badaro
• Joris N
• Amit Nehra
• Brian Jones
• angelina
• 107 people who did not want to give their names, 12 of whom have done the pledge

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