Consider Quitting Social Media

Should you consider quitting social media?

With the recent murder of Charlie Kirk, the harms of social media have again become apparent. I don’t believe his murder had much to do with social media, but after something horrible happens that is apparently linked to their political or religious views, there are reports of what people said on social media. Sometimes, a professor will get fired for a post on X, or a celebrity loses their job because of their views on violence against someone with opposing ideas.

What we see on social media then becomes news, with commentators on multiple networks sharing their views on how the post on X.com matters. Social media is not news. Social media is where people can say anything they want, good or bad, to a large number of other people. The social media platform enables and emboldens people to say what they feel, no matter how vile it is. Before social media and the internet, you would have to write a letter to the editor of a newspaper to have your views published. The editor would rarely publish a letter stating that someone deserved the violence perpetrated against them. If you wanted to be heard, you could also stand up on a soapbox (I had to do that in a speech class in school) and shout your views. Most of the time, you would be ignored.

Now, you can write what you believe, and in thirty seconds, it’s available for the world to see. Your words, good or bad, can be fed to my screen without anyone screening them first. There is no way to avoid these words and ideas if you use social media platforms. It takes extreme effort not to be affected negatively by these negative comments. Yes, positive comments and ideas sometimes can have positive effects, but the negative ideas overpower them. I believe people should have the right to write and say anything they want. But I don’t have to read it or listen to it.

Even when there isn’t terrible news spreading on Twitter or Bluesky, much of social media is unhelpful. If you click on a video in X or Facebook, you’re destined to weeks of similar videos on your screen. Every time you click, you waste minutes of your day, minutes of your life. As Ben Franklin said, “Dost thou love life? Then do not squander Time; for that’s the Stuff Life is made of.”

If you know me or have read my books (The Three Rules to Lose Weight and Keep It Off Forever, and The Six Rules for a Longer, Healthier Life), then you know I have never had success cutting back on anything and have only had success with completely quitting. All or None. That’s why I quit bad carbs and alcohol. A week ago, I decided to quit social media. Even if I don’t entirely avoid negative ideas, I will at least save time by not watching videos that don’t help me in any way.

Cal Newport, who wrote the superb books Digital Minimalism and Deep Work, wrote a post on this topic. I recommend you read it to see a similar take on the subject. I mention Newport in my post on killing time.

If you decide to quit, delete any social media apps from your phone and vow to never check X, Bluesky, Instagram, or Facebook on your computer. Post on these sites that your friends can reach you by phone or email. I don’t like texts, but if you do, then, of course, use texts. Our son often contacts us with FaceTime. It’s far superior to text and even a phone call, and I believe that FaceTime is the most important use of a smartphone. However, GPS, Spotify, and Audible are also invaluable.

If you have considered quitting social media but are hesitant, consider a break first. I often recommend this with alcohol. Start today and decide in 30 days whether you’re better or worse. If you’re better, then quit forever. If you’re worse off without social media, then I was wrong, but at least you made an informed decision. However, I expect you will be better. I have never met anyone who felt worse having abstained from alcohol for 30 days, and I doubt many people have regretted abstaining from social media.

Note: I wrote this several days ago and am only posting it on September 18, 2025. I just read on the news that Jimmy Kimmel’s show was suspended because of something he said about the Charlie Kirk murder. I am glad I will not be checking X.com to see what everyone is saying about that.