Finally Deleting Instagram and WhatsApp
This is a more personal post than is usual on here. I've come to the decision to delete both my Instagram and WhatsApp accounts. I deleted my Facebook account a few years back and have now decided to take the final step to further remove Facebook from my life.
With the news of WhatsApp requiring users consent to giving Facebook access to their personal information, I suddenly realized that I had to face up to my hypocrisy. I've written about the wrongs of Facebook on this very blog, and yet I was still making excuses for my continued use of Instagram and WhatsApp. My own complacency was leading to frustration with others complacency. My frustration stemmed from the resistance I felt from people even downloading the app to give it a try. Having painstakingly convinced many folks with whom I used to talk to on WhatsApp to switch to Signal, I think it's time I just remove WhatsApp completely from my life.
Deleting my Instagram is just something I didn't have the guts to do earlier. Instagram is the only platform I used to share my life with my friends. Deleting it will feel like I'm isolating myself further from them when in reality I wish only the opposite. I have a Pixelfed account which I'll use just like Instagram. However, if none of my friends see it, who am I sharing my life with? It's hard to leave the walled gardens created by companies like Facebook when everyone you care about prefers to remain inside. I just feel I can no longer use platforms that blatantly disregard the values I hold dear.
I probably sound exceedingly dramatic and its likely nothing in my life will change substantially. I just felt I needed to put my thoughts on paper in the hopes that maybe someone with the same trepidation as I will take the leap with me. I'll even go one step further and challenge anyone reading this to move just 1 group chat from WhatsApp to Signal. If you can do that, you may just be well on your way to exiting Facebook's toxic cloud.
As always, below are links to both Signal and Pixelfed for your convenience :)