More intentionally social (online)

I’m a fairly simple human with simple needs, and unnecessary complexity frustrates me. Finding a sense of balance can be challenging, partly because I enjoy change and new ideas, even though that can sit at odds with my preference for a more minimalist way of living.

Social media has earned a poor reputation, largely because of how addictive it can be and the constant debate about what purpose it really serves. I’ve never been especially drawn to it. I’ve dipped in and out of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter/X over the years, avoided Snapchat entirely, and found TikTok particularly hard to justify. These days, Facebook exists mainly as a place where I fail to sell things on Marketplace, so eBay will once again be the better option.

Today, I’m stepping away from social media. I haven’t been an active user for some time, but I’m now starting to properly close accounts and simplify my online footprint. LinkedIn will stay for professional reasons, although my activity there is minimal. I’ll also keep a single alternative to X, as it’s where many colleagues in teaching and learning share useful ideas and perspectives from across the UK and beyond.

I’ve looked at both Mastodon and Bluesky. Mastodon appealed because of its values and open, ethical approach, but in practice it feels quite niche. Bluesky makes more sense for me as many people I followed on X are already there, plus it’s ad-free, I hate ads.

This feels like a small but important reset. It’s time to start closing accounts and moving on.