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Nearly a Third of Tech Workers Are Ready To #DeleteFacebook (betanews.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the say-when dept.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from BetaNews: A survey conducted in the wake of the #DeleteFacebook campaign that followed revelations about the data breach and the logging of Android users' calls and texts, found that a surprising number of tech workers were ready to delete their Facebook accounts. 31 percent backed the #DeleteFacebook campaign, including 50 percent of Microsoft workers, and 38 percent of Google workers. The survey -- conducted using the anonymous app Blind -- found that nearly a third of those questioned were planning to delete their Facebook accounts. In all, over 2,600 people were surveyed between March 20, 2018 and March 24, 2018, so it neatly took in the peak of the controversy. Broken down by company, the numbers make for interesting reading:

-50 percent of Microsoft employees said they will delete Facebook.
-46 percent of Snapchat employees said they would delete Facebook.
-40 percent of Uber employees said they would delete Facebook.
-38 percent of Google employees said they would delete Facebook.
-34 percent of Amazon employees said they would delete Facebook.
-2 percent of Facebook employees said they would delete Facebook.

10 of 307 comments (clear)

  1. If you work in tech by nehumanuscrede · · Score: 5, Insightful

    and you haven't deleted Facebook already, you're behind the curve I'm afraid.

    You KNOW what they're doing. Why are you still there ?

    1. Re:If you work in tech by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I downloaded what they have on me. Nothing I didn't post there in the first place.

      And you trust that? Facebook decided what was available to "download", remember? Did you have unlimited query access to their data stores? How can you know what they have or don't have on you, short of an independent forensic audit?

      I know enough about tech to stop them from getting anything else.

      Did you know that your profile on Facebook and the data associated with it consists of more than simply what you gave them first hand? How can you work in tech and not have at least an inkling of that? Ever heard of data brokering? Yeah, it's a whole industry that knows just about everything about you despite the fact that you probably mostly never gave them any of it first hand. Please tell us you're not this naive.

    2. Re: If you work in tech by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Where do you work that facebook friends counts as proof of social aptitude, a prison library?

    3. Re:If you work in tech by Excelcia · · Score: 5, Insightful

      And look at the wording "...would delete facebook...". Who is going to go through the trouble? What will really happen is they will stay off it for a few weeks, Facebook will ramp up their "we miss you" emails. You know, the ones like "So and so has messaged you ten times and you haven't responded. Click here to see their messages", and "Hey look at the ten single girls who would probably respond to a friend request, click here to see them". After a few of those they'll go back on and it will be business as usual.

      I will be more impressed when I see "nearly a third of tech workers HAVE deleted Facebook". Then I'll think the movement is working.

    4. Re: If you work in tech by TheGratefulNet · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I've been quite desparate for jobs in the past (I'm over 50...) - but I'd never create a fb account JUST to 'show them' ... ANYTHING.

      any job that you would not get BECAUSE of a lack of fb is no job worth having. and I'm saying that as someone who has been nearly broke from unemployment more times than I care to count.

      I think you are lying to yourself, though. no job insists on having fb next to your name. you assume too much.

      --

      --
      "It is now safe to switch off your computer."
    5. Re:If you work in tech by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      You know that even if you don't have a profile on FB they still have a dark profile on you, from a combination of friends uploading their contacts

      I don't have any friends.

      Checkmate, Facebook.

  2. Frogs on a log. by Mistlefoot · · Score: 5, Insightful

    There is an old proverb:
    There are 5 frogs on a log.
    2 of them decide to jump into the water.
    How many frogs remain on the log?

    The answer is 5. As deciding to do something is not the same as doing something.

    31% are ready to do it. But that 31% hasn't yet. What is holding them back?

    1. Re:Frogs on a log. by Subm · · Score: 5, Funny

      > 31% are ready to do it. But that 31% hasn't yet. What is holding them back?

      They're procrastinating on Slashdot.

  3. Deceiving Ourselves by Bruce+Perens · · Score: 5, Interesting

    If most people who understand tech are like me, you never thought commercial social networks were a good idea, you joined them only reluctantly because lots of other people were on them and you needed them for business purposes, and you still have really mixed feelings about them.

    However, the average person is eager to give away their privacy and can't be bothered to assure their own security.

    So, aren't we kidding ourselves to think that anyone but us is going to delete Facebook?

    --
    Bruce Perens.
  4. I've tried by burtosis · · Score: 5, Funny

    I tried to delete Facebook, but I'm having trouble hacking in and remote wiping the whole deal. Any ideas?