I deleted my Facebook Profile. Here's why.

     If you have had a Facebook profile for years, you may remember the early days. Those were the days we were joing in droves. We all wanted to reconnect with distant family and friends. We were realizing why all the teenagers had MySpace accounts.
   Then came the season of dialogue. When those long lost connections began to uncover differences. Opionions and comments became long dialogues. One person expressed an opinion, another gave a rebuttal; another added a comment, and on it went. By and large, the "conversations" were respectful, careful, as earnestly persuasive as possible.
Have you noticed how that has changed? Yup, me too.
   I presumed that this was the result of a shift in human behavior. I thought, we as a society were becoming more impolite. I mean, look at our president! While our manners might be deteriorating, the real explanation is the design methods of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other platforms. Social media is designed to 'bait us' into giving our time so that we can be manipulated to buy. And it's not just objects they want us to consume, it's ideas.
   The more abrasive the interactions, the more algorythmic attention is given. If you open Facebook news and enter a word like 'climate', what your feed will give you is contingent on where you are in the country. 

     The more confrontational and heated, sexy and attractive, self-centered and opinionated a post is, the more we are biologically designed to fall into the rabbit hole of engaging it.
     The Social Dilemma, is a recently released documentary about this issue. Over 10 former social media executives talked about their concerns. After watching it, I decided to delete my Facebook profile. It felt like what I needed to do. I want to strongly message my 1,300 "friends" that I have real concerns about this platform. And as a Christian, you should too. I'm not saying you should also delete it all. But learn more, pray more, and make your own decision.
    Jesus modeled for us a way of being together that fostered genuine inclusion. As a Jesus follower, I want to be 100% giving my time for what moves us toward what is good, true, and gracious for our world. Until social media is reformed to stop imperiling democracy, truth, and societal integrity, I want little part of it. Join me in learning more and evaluating what your faith calls you to do.
                                                                          -- Pastor Rebecca
The Social Dilemma
How the Facebook Newsfeed Works (The guy featured in this FB created video is also in the documentary)
"What Facebook did to American Democracy" Atlantic Monthly Article