People say that quitting things cold turkey is not always good for you, but in my case versus social media, I felt like I had no choice but to walk out, slam the damn door, and never come back. Needless to say, this doesn't make me feel special or anything, but I'd be lying if I said this isn't one of the best decisions I've ever made.
In any case, this is basically a wake-up call: the platforms are beyond broken, and as I get older, my tolerance for bullshit drops significantly, so I can't afford to be at the mercy of any platform that sees 1984 as a self-help book.
Getting Punished for Not Playing the Game
One of the first cracks showed up on Facebook.
A random guy once DM'd me telling me to take my shoelace off and kill myself. Just business as usual, since I had my fair share of trolls. Instead of getting offended, I replied with a dumb joke video pretending to choke myself, with the caption: “I used my hands; hope that's okay.”
Then I posted a screenshot of the interaction on my timeline to make a “Sticks and stones” kind of point.
Result? I got suspended for 24 hours.
That's when it hit me: having thick skin isn't good for platforms that run on insecurity. If you're not offended, not triggered, not reacting the “right” way, you're not good enough for our precious Community Guidelines.
YouTube Was the Last Straw
YouTube was the last platform I still used before DeGoogling my digital life compeltely. And even there, things started feeling off.
At one point, there was a discussion about how GitHub repos often lack instructions. Someone claimed Python scripts couldn't be compiled. I replied with a simple correction:
“You can use PyInstaller to compile Python scripts. It's very easy.”
Nothing offensive or controversial at all.
But my reply kept getting silently filtered out, which drove me nuts, because it wasn't the first time, and I knew it wasn't going to be the last.
That's when I realized: it's not about following the rules; it's about Hitler-level control. If your input doesn't fit neatly into the system, it just disappears.
That was it. I was done.
Facebook: Ads, Garbage, and Malware
Let's talk about the feed.
Endless “suggested posts.” Sponsored crap. Low-quality content. Sometimes even straight-up malware disguised as ads.
And the funniest part? They're constantly trying to bypass ad blockers.
At some point, you have to ask: why am I fighting this hard just to exist on a platform that prioritizes profit from malware over my user experience?
Ironically, I did make money off Facebook back in the day (circa 2015-2016) — somewhere between $10,000 and $20,000 — I used short links that redirected to a WordPress blog running AdSense. That was the closest I had ever gotten to not being the product, so to speak. In fact, that was how I got into making money online, and how I went from focusing only on local computer repair to coding, remote assistance, server malware removal, etc.
Sadly, the trick we used at the time stopped working within a couple of years, because any anti-slavery method of making money online doesn't last very long, and so most people are left with over saturated markets full of people who end up making money telling you how to do things instead of them doing those things themselves. After all, those who can't do, teach, like George Bernard Shaw said.
Instagram: Suspended for Existing
Instagram was even worse.
I used it to share quote posts from a life coach's Facebook page. Nothing edgy. No profanity. No rule-breaking.
Then one day, some random dude spam-liked 20–30 of my posts within seconds.
Boom. Suspension.
No warning. No nuance. Just automated punishment.
I didn't even bother appealing. If a platform can't tell the difference between spam and normal activity, I'm not wasting time arguing with it.
The Bigger Picture: It's Not Just Personal
My experiences aren't unique. They're just small examples of a bigger pattern.
- Data misuse: they're mining you while you scroll
- Whistleblower leaks: insiders can't tell the truth
- Algorithm manipulation: your feed is a drug, not a tool
- Addiction engineering: they know how to keep you hooked
On the surface, these platforms give the impression that they're just hosting user-generated content, but in truth, they've mastered the art of shaping behavior, and if that's not creepy, I honestly don't know what is.
They reward outrage. They amplify insecurity. They keep you scrolling, not because it's valuable, but because it's profitable.
At some point, you stop asking “How do I use this better?” and start asking “Why am I using this at all?”
The Free Speech Illusion
Here's the uncomfortable truth:
Free speech on social media isn't real.
- Speak your mind on a platform that can ban you anytime
- Or speak freely somewhere nobody's listening
Either way, your voice is boxed in.
You're either part of the noise machine or invisible.
Life After Social Media
Quitting felt like a flawless victory. It was a similar feeling to when I dropped out of university even though I passed all my first semester exams with flying colors. How do you like that, Einstein?
Less noise. Less distraction. Less exposure to pointless drama.
More control over what I consume. More time for things that actually matter.
And most importantly: no more dealing with systems that punish you for thinking independently.
Final Thoughts
While social media seems deeply optimized for engagement, profit, and control, I can't help but wonder, is it evil to keep prioritizing profits when you know your platforms are scientifically proven to be harmful to society based on your own internal research? I guess history keeps repeating itself just like what happened with tobacco companies, Coca Cola, etc. Frankly, shit like this makes me lose respect for the scientific community because they're easily bought.
If you're still using these abysmal platforms, that's your choice.
But if you've ever felt like something's off, you're not wrong, and you're not alone.
Sometimes the smartest move isn't to play the game better; It's to stop playing entirely. In a situation like this, believe me when I say, walking away is, once again, a flawless victory.
P.S.
I got 2 words for why Reddit sucks donkey balls as well: Downvote fetish.