Meta's Policy Changes: How to Leave Meta and Stay Gone
Develop an Exit Strategy to successfully leave Meta while maintaining social connections, and stay off these platforms long-term.
Last week, I wrote about why you might need to stay on Meta's platforms and some actions you can take to stick it to Meta even as you remain on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, or WhatsApp. This week, I'm tackling how to leave Meta.
Leaving Facebook, Instagram or any of Meta's platforms is hard. Facebook has been in our lives for a long, long time, so it's not always easy to quit even when you want to. It can feel scary to think about social media after Meta. How do you do it, how do you leave and actually stay away? You need an exit strategy.
An exit strategy will help you organize your thoughts, prepare for your post-Meta life, and create a sustainable roadmap to resisting the temptation to return.
There are a few key components of your exit plan that you'll want to be sure you have to set yourself up for success: Timeline, Destination, Communications, Grab your Data, Set yourself up for success, and de-platforming.
Timeline
Your exit strategy needs a timeline and a deadline. You shouldn't immediately deactivate or delete your accounts. You need to determine when you want to deactivate or disable your accounts. The deadline for the exit strategy should be in 2-4 weeks to ensure you maintain momentum. Write down your date, and place it somewhere prominent that you'll see daily.
Decide on a Destination
Next, you need to decide where you are going. There are many options, so you have to identify what's most important for you in a social network. Write out your Top 3 most important features for a social network. Be realistic - no platform will perfectly recreate Meta's ecosystem. You will need to compromise.
As of this writing, most of the alternative social networks exist on the Fediverse which runs an open source protocol to be able to talk to each other. This can be really confusing at first, so I recommend you read up on it here. Here's a list of alternatives you can check out:
Messenger/WhatsApp: Signal
Give Notice
Give your networks a heads-up t
hat you are leaving. Write a post to briefly describe that you are leaving, why you are leaving, when you are leaving, and alternative ways to connect with you. 1 to 2 weeks is enough time for most people to see and respond if they want.
Data Preservation
During this time, you can also download your Facebook and Instagram content. These downloads can take time--several hours to several days. Start the process as soon as you can, then review the data when you receive it to make sure you got everything you wanted.
Habit Replacement
This is the hardest part and the most important part. You will find yourself itching to check Facebook, Instagram, or Threads, usually when you are bored and have some downtime. Meta has been a daily habit for many people, and you need to break that habit.
Start by identifying the triggers that have you reaching for your phone scroll Instagram. Then come up with something else to do when you get the urge to doomscroll -- maybe you meditate, read, or send a text. Whatever it is, make it easy and make it rewarding.
Delete or Deactivate
You've decided on your deadline, you planned out your next steps -- where you are going, letting people know you are leaving, you've downloaded your data and come up with a habit replacement. Now is the time to decide: do you delete, or deactivate?
You have to decide at this point whether you want to Deactivate or Delete. If you are unsure about whether you want to come back to Meta products -- maybe if they get less racist and bigoted in the future -- you probably want to Deactivate. If you are committed to not returning or don't mind coming back with a clean slate, you Delete. You might also opt to delete if you are worried about giving in and falling into the temptation. Deleting makes it much harder to get back on the platform and in your networks again.
If you are unsure about Deleting, I recommend Deactivating for right now. You can always come back later and delete, but you can't go from deleting to deactivating.
That's it. Leaving Meta requires intentionality, planning, and self-awareness. By having an exit strategy, you can successfully transition away from these platforms while maintaining your social connections and mental well-being.