OK, I couldn’t even if I wanted to. But If I could, I still wouldn’t. Want to know why?

1. I’ve never clicked on a Facebook Ad in my life
If 85% of Facebook revenues are from ads and I’ve never clicked on one in my life, either I’m a weirdo or else I’m normal and the advertisers are wasting their money.  The General Motors decision to stop FB advertising is a “Facebook has no clothes” moment that’s only going to gather momentum.

2. It’s so ugly
As a Mac user, so used to beautiful, minimalist simplicity, I can hardly bear to look at the dump-truck of the FB interface. Did they ask Bill Gates to design the Timeline? Maybe it’s only PC users that keep FB alive. Google+ is a model of Zen compared to this fiasco.

3. Immobile Apps
Mobile is a huge threat to FB. There’s just not enough screen estate to get ads on to. FB’s solution? Invent the slowest, junkiest mobile Apps in the world. “Oh, that’ll work!”

4. Security
How would you feel if your bank changed its privacy rules every other week without telling you? And when you find out via the media, you discover you need an IT PhD to figure out the pages and pages of privacy settings.

5. Stupidity
In the course of the last few weeks I’ve seen at least two ministries potentially ruined by the Yahoo and Socialcam FB partnerships. In case you didn’t know, when you read Yahoo articles or watch Socialcam videos, FB will often post those facts on your Facebook Wall, Page, or whatever they call it. No, of course, people shouldn’t be reading or watching certain things, but how insensitively stupid for FB to set this up without MEGA FLASHING LIGHTS WARNINGS.

6. Facebook Mail
How difficult is it to design email software that maintains a chronological thread?  What a mess!

7. Everything else
Farmville, Facebook Chat, Group Invites, Event Invites, Pokes, Photo quality, Notifications, Quizzes, Breakfast updates, Lunch updates, Dinner Updates, Supper Updates, Midnight Feast Updates, etc. (Want to make a million? Create an App that only lets FB status updates through if they pass a certain IQ/EQ threshold).

And please, please, don’t anyone ever add me to a Group again without my expensive and explicit permission. Oh, and one last thing, don’t ever TAG me in a photo. And if I remove a TAG, it’s because I do not like your photo. And if you add it again, prepare for a menacing knock on your door.

Apart from that it’s quite good.

  • Joe Steenholdt

    I’m with you on most of these. I’d also add that Mr. Zuckerburg doesn’t inspire me to trust to invest for the long-haul. I could be proven wrong, but the internet and tech are changing so rapidly it will be interesting if they continue to lead the charge or fail to keep up on whatever is next.

    Regarding #3 – I was wondering if they don’t invest much in their app because it doesn’t display their ads? I used to think Google+ was an also ran, but more and more considering using it more, especially with the newly redesigned app. The only problem is Facebook is still where all the friend activity is…for now anyway. I think I’ll add you to my circles and start giving it a run!

  • Allison Enos

    I hear you brother, and totally agree. For some, FB is divine, but for me….the temptation is not to my liking, so I gladly do without. am glad there are a handful of us that feel that way.

  • http://www.se7en.org.za Se7en

    Just love this post!!! Love it!!!

  • http://www.stevenbirnspeaks.com Steven Birn

    I’ll give you three more reasons: My Space, Yahoo and AOL. All three of these were very popular for short period of time before being overtaken by each other or bigger and better social websites. Facebook’s days are numbered, it’s a matter of time before something becomes the hot new Facebook that everyone wants to be part of instead.

  • David Murray (Isle of Lewis)

    As a Mac user I totally agree about the interface, it’s horrendous!!
    I might check Google+ but until there’s a big change like there was from Bebo I’m staying put.