Quit Social Media (2016)

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Overall attitudes toward quitting

  • Many commenters report quitting “big” social platforms (FB, IG, X/Twitter, TikTok, Reddit) and feeling calmer, less distracted, and more present.
  • Others maintain selective use (e.g., for airline support, research, niche subreddits) and argue the problem is overuse and passive scrolling, not social media per se.
  • Some regret quitting entirely (especially Facebook), having lost decades‑long weak ties they actually valued and didn’t have a “problem” with.

Specific platforms & current landscape

  • Facebook/Instagram: often described as enshittified, ad‑ and algorithm‑heavy, no longer simple chronological feeds.
  • Twitter/X: praised for real‑time and “ahead of MSM” news, but criticized for misinformation, lack of moderation, and outrage dynamics.
  • TikTok/shorts: seen as hyper‑optimized time‑wasting; debate whether they’re “social” vs pure entertainment.
  • Reddit: some see it as less toxic than others; others call it a normie ad cesspool after power users left.
  • LinkedIn: widely mocked as self‑parody.
  • HN: repeatedly debated as “also social media,” but with fewer ads, slower pace, and stronger moderation.

Information value vs “breaking news”

  • Many argue minute‑by‑minute “breaking news” almost never improves life, is mostly brain‑tickling noise, and worsens attention and mood.
  • A minority insist early exposure and real‑time discourse provide useful context and critical perspective, especially on underreported or controversial topics.

Business models & alternatives

  • Strong hostility toward ad‑based, surveillance‑driven platforms; some broaden this to all ad‑based media.
  • Interest in paid/co‑op or barrier‑to‑entry communities (forums, federated platforms, private trackers) as healthier models, but examples often remain small and financially fragile.
  • Various self‑help tactics: hosts/DNS blocking, custom scripts to fade pages over time, RSS, newsletters, forums, and group chats.

Social, psychological, and dating impacts

  • Recurrent themes: attention fragmentation, doomscrolling, manufactured outrage, and “brainrot.”
  • Some criticize anti‑social‑media commenters for elitism or contempt toward mainstream users.
  • Social media absence can be isolating: needed for dating apps (Instagram), local events, school/club coordination, or small business marketing.
  • Others treat lack of social media as a filter: if someone insists on IG or similar, they’re not a compatible partner/friend.