The Hidden Costs of Facebook
- Jessica Globe
- Jun 4
- 4 min read
Since deleting Facebook and waiting the 30 days grace period for it to be completely extinguished, it’s baffling that it took me so long to do it.
When I first signed up in high school, I loved the virtual cork boards full of buttons. (Do you even remember those??) I spent hours organizing and designing my boards. It appealed to my autistic brain.
I wasn’t allowed to have Facebook, so logging into my Mom’s computer was risky, but I did it every day. My mom cried when she found out. Years later, when I announced I deleted my account, she couldn’t believe it. (Now she has her own account.)
Whenever I tell people I’m off Facebook, they immediately defend why they could never leave. Doesn’t it seem weird that most people dislike the service, yet jump to defend their reasons for being there?
Since the default is to share the features we can’t live without when discussing Facebook, I’d like to shed light on the hidden costs to consider.
Trading Closeness for False Connection
When I moved into my own place after college, I was lonely. I went from seeing my parents often and spending time with their farm animals, to living in a one-bedroom condo alone.
Back home, when I felt lonely, all I needed was to brush a few horses to feel better. (A privilege I know.) It was strange feeling more separated than ever, even though I lived closer to other people than before. Instead of inviting friends over to cheer myself up, I toggled between Facebook and YouTube.
It made me feel like I was addressing my dreary mental state, but most of my “conversations” were drafted messages I never sent. The relief felt more like numbing an open wound while it continued to ooze.
You’re the Product AND the Consumer
People say, “if you’re not the consumer, you’re the product,” but Facebook likes to have its cake and eat it too.
Facebook doesn’t just collect and sell your personal information — they turn around and serve you targeted ads based on that information. So even if privacy isn’t your concern (which I hope you’ll reconsider if it’s not), you might care about the health of your bank account. Over-consuming is too easy. Companies use psychology against you to manipulate you into staying online longer and buy more.
Some of the weirdest things I’ve bought came from social media ads. The only thing I didn’t regret buying from ads was a hip stretching course and even that had its issues.
Facebook ads are also where less reputable companies get their start. Shein grew rapidly through social media advertising, and has since been widely criticized for poor labor conditions, copyright infringement, and environmental concerns.
It Wants Your Attention, Not Your Happiness
Picture this: You’re in an emotional funk, so you decide to look up funny cat videos to cheer yourself up. You set an intention to watch only positive content. Kitten fails become cats saved by policemen. Then you’re watching policemen pulling people over to give them popsicles. Before you know it, you’re watching murder mysteries and accounts of abuse. The slow creep into dark spaces is maddening. How did we even get here?
Facebook doesn’t want you to be happy. Happy people don’t doomscroll, which means fewer ad views and purchases. We pay closer attention to disturbing information and we buy when we’re distressed. Being happy is simply bad for business.
To make things worse, apparently facts are boring. Our brains find counterintuitive information more interesting, so misinformation travels faster on social media.
The Dreaded… Politics
Let me ask you this: Has anyone on Facebook ever changed your mind politically? Have you changed anyone else’s? My guess is no.
Users shout their political views into the void but don’t change anyones mind. Political “discussions” look more like dog fights — cruel and unnecessary. To change someone’s mind curiosity, respect, and patience must be present. It’s hard to be curious or open when your guard is up.
The chilling thing: even though we’re not constructively changing each other’s thoughts, Facebook does influence our beliefs. The documentary The Social Dilemma shares how Cambridge Analytica accessed people’s data (without consent in some cases) and used it to manipulate political opinions. They found people with middle-of-the-road beliefs and began showing them content that tilted them to the political right.
Perceived Inevitability Perpetuates Garbage
I’ve noticed a concerning pattern in parenting circles when discussing kids’ digital usage. Parents often admit they’re uncomfortable with their children’s screen time or digital access, yet simultaneously say, “But what can you do? It’s just the way things are.”
We tell ourselves that Facebook (and technology at large) is here to stay, so we must live with it. That’s like saying we need to own every kitchen gadget ever invented because it’s there. You wouldn’t do that — you choose tools that make your life better. Thinking we’re stuck with it strips away our agency and shields companies from accountability.
Platforms rise and fall based on user engagement. Many assume digital life means surrendering privacy and mental well-being as the price of admission. This false narrative serves tech companies, not users.
What feels inevitable is often just familiar. Your relationship with technology should serve your highest good — not someone else’s profit margin.
As my uncle-in-law likes to say, “We always have choice.”
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