Social networking has surpassed the “craze” stage. With more than 800 million active users and one trillion page views in June, sites like Facebook are here to stay.
So why, when everyone else is logging on, has one local couple chosen to delete their Facebook accounts?
Lucy McAlary, 22, and Trent O’Neill, 19, say it’s due to a combination of privacy concerns and the time they have wasted on the site.
“Both my boyfriend and I decided to delete Facebook because we feel as though it takes up too much time,” Ms McAlary said.
“We came to the realisation that there are much better things to do with our days. Sure, it’s all about moderation and using your time. However, we would much rather do without it.”
So after three years, the couple said goodbye to their 600 Facebook friends by hitting the delete button. And they say they couldn’t be happier.
“To be honest, it feels great! We like the idea that not everybody knows what’s happening in our lives,” Ms McAlary said.
“Also, you don’t realise how much time you actually have without having it. It wasn’t a very difficult decision to make, and we have no urge to sign back in on Facebook.”
The social networking site has hit the headlines recently for causing antisocial tendencies because people are not directly communicating.
Despite the criticisms, both Lucy and Trent agree that one thing Facebook does do is keep people connected, especially with social gatherings.
