Much of modern economic theory is based around a simple idea: Human beings maximize utility... To an economist, utility simply means how much people want something... tend to assume that utility is good... But what if the things people desire don’t bring them happiness?...People seem to reliably seek out a few things that make them unhappy... peop…

it is not just Zuckerberg. None of the company’s key executives has a “normal” Facebook presence. You can’t add them as friends, they rarely post publicly and they keep private some information that the platform suggests be made public by default... Over at Twitter, the story is the same.... what do they know that we don’t?... former vice-preside…

uses the social network to promote her business... set up various safeguards to avoid becoming too emotionally invested ... a web browser plug-in ... replaces the social network’s endless stream ... with a single inspiring quote.... hired a social media manager ... because she could no longer stand the addictive feedback loop ... She had been a …

It is a cancer... weaning myself off of the platform by methodically running a script that will delete my old content... I would wager I use Facebook more to broadcast my ego than interact with real humans....It’s a useful tool when it is stripped of its power... larded with my personal details it is a weapon and a liability.... any posts older …

The work of researchers, designers, and artists ... includes apps, Chrome extensions, and desktop software... to give users some agency over their online lives.... understand the kind of information the platform may have on you... turn to Data Selfie... Matias’s posts include instructions on how to run your own Facebook audit... Chrome extensions …

It may be that ditching Facebook is not the answer, but rather restricting how your data is used and shared by the company. Facebook has just made its built-in privacy and data settings easier to use

The same amazing tech that enables people to forge deeper relationships, foster closer communities and give everyone a voice can also breed isolation, embolden racists, and empower digital bullies and nefarious actors.... used with great accuracy and potency “to assault... truth and trust... our personal foundations — our privacy and sense of ide…

Deactivating your account will ... make your profile invisible. All your messages will still be visible, but you won’t be able to use Facebook’s website to message users. For that, you’ll need to use the Facebook Messenger app.... When you delete your Facebook account, you’ll lose your friend list, your wall, posts, and access to your current Fac…

When I need to focus on a project or relax a bit, I turn off the noise that comes from Facebook ... delete your account... But don’t pretend it will make a difference to Facebook or to the state of the world... if tens of thousands of Americans quit Facebook tomorrow, the company would barely feel it... Its growth has plateaued in the United St…