Here is legitimately how I did it, no exaggeration. I sent the following message to all of the contacts I wanted to keep (or something similar, I don't have access to the message anymore):

"Hey, I'm leaving Facebook permanently. I only use the chat function anyway, and I don't want to use it given their business practices. Here's my phone number, email, signal, and XMPP. Pick one, I don't care which."

And then I logged off for a month, logged back on, and deleted my account. I wasn't sure if they'd still get the message if I deleted my account after, plus I have ADHD and wanted to give myself a chance to remember anyone else I wanted to keep in touch with. I lost one person in the move, and they weren't someone I talked to that often anyway.

Yes, stop. Bring it up when they bring it up and wait. In the meantime say « I will be on Signal if you search me or text if it’s necessary » and delete everything

Do you really need facebook and instagram? I think using whatsapp is enough for people to reach you, so at least cutting down number of meta services would be good.

I personally don't see getting instagram feeds or facebook feeds as vital, since being reachable and being able to chat is more important while reels and pics is whatever. And those who use Instagram and facebook probably have whatsapp, so they can dm you there.

If they haven't come to the conclusion that it matters after being presented with information, then they aren't going to change their minds. And you are wasting your breath trying.

Even in our home I'm a privacy advocate (selfhost immich, pihole, Linux machines, GrapheneOS) my wife knows the larger consequence of engaging on platoforms that glean your info, but she lives on Facebook, Instagram, google services etc.

Even a friend who is highly intelligent, doesn't care about privacy; Because he believes he's done nothing wrong so why would he care if the government agencies could gather all info without proper warrants. I had the conversation about the larger issue being that a government is then able to use the info to silence protest against its own actions. He assumes I'm just paranoid.

So I just don't bother further

Well, you can't tell people to stop using a service that everyone does and is basically their primary communications platform...

People have like 100 apps on their phones and will download another 10 with no thought if it's mainstream enough. So the way I see it is that they can download one more app that is respecting their rights. I would understand if someone told me that they do not want another app for security/privacy and they already use some other that does meet those criteria but I have yet to meet someone like that.

So far I just tell people that I use signal and every fucking time I have to tell them that I do not sell drugs because that is the first question if they are below 40. Most don't really care and just do it some don't but they are not close contacts so...

Get better friends

If you are really serious about this, then you need to rank whatever you should stop using (meta, google and other shit) by a grade of necessity then act upon that grade ranking.

Below are some examples of what i mean,

• Your loved one, mother, father and family use an app, then i would shelf it to be ditched as a last resort (S tier)
• your cacual crew and gym friends use instagram, then delete immediately since you check on them whenever you see them.
• your work collegues relies on WhatsApp then fuck it and delete immediately, when asked for a reason say i stopped using it, if they need something urgent “just call or reach out via matrix or text”
• your girlfriend uses facebook to share stories, tell her that you are deleting your account and she can share her stories on matrix or directly show you on her phone.
• your close friends use some shitty Zionist app, tell them clearly that you will not use that anymore and they should also follow your footsteps, but make sure that they can still text you via an alternative tech when needed.

Its a journey that you need to take.

I made such changes when i saw an official UN report clearly stating how most of those tech companies are actively killing children and helping Israel with genocide, tbh from that point i have probably set my priorities right.

I mean if jon from the gym is mad that he can’t send me reels anymore, that is not something i really wieght against being an ad feeder to a company that is helping killing children.

I have no advice. Been trying to get people to quit for years at this point with no luck.

I wouldn't trust signal either. Like for some stuff, but the US probably has a backdoor.

Only Criminals Will Try To Hide Their Conversation

Jokes on them, pretty soon everything will be a crime.

Any Recommended Stratergy To make them ditch Meta ?

I would say just quit facebook yourself if you want to quit (and you should). Trying to get other people to do things they don't want to do is obnoxious, short of staging an intervention if it's serious self-harm. They can quit when they're ready to.

I deleted my Meta accounts when Zuck became openly sycophantic towards Trump.

If my friends want to talk to me, they text me. Some even got Signal because I told them it was my preferred messaging app.

If they want to send a social media post/reel to me, they can text me with the link to it and I can view it in browser.

You can’t force your friends to care about surveillance, but you can choose to do what you believe is right, and your real friends will accommodate you, even if they don’t understand.

You can't. Accept that statement. Acknowledge that you're only in control of your body. You can influence others, but you cannot control them. Align yourself with your beliefs without forcing your beliefs onto others.

I know users would like to interject, probably with something like "these aren't beliefs; they're objectively bad." I would agree with that criticism. Beliefs are sometimes aligned with reality and other times they're not. I believe proprietary-software is evil and I agree with a lot of things Richard Stallman has written.

From the outside I know a lot of people don't understand and I'm fine with that--I'm not in control of others nor do I want to be (that would be a tremendous burden). I do what I want to do, which is a reflection of my beliefs. When your body aligns with your desires (which stem from your beliefs) you'll be most content.

I don't want a Google account. I think creating a Google account is actively causing harm. If someone suggest Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp, et al as a way of communicating I refuse. If they inquire I'll explain my reasoning if I perceive their curiosity to be genuine and offer an alternative solution, but the thing I want to impress upon you here is that I'm doing what I want to do.

People have written and said particulars to me that I know others see my behaviour as a type of "self-restraint" or to phrase it another way: of forgoing convenience in favour of something. They perceive the action of adhering to libre-software as a burden. It's not. It's what I want to do. It's what I like to do. (It's what excites and brings me pleasure.)

I'd probably like it if other people also shared my preferences and I know some do. I also know some don't. I think they should, but I don't want to shoulder that burden. It's an impossible load. I can't force people to do what I think is the correct thing to do. It is impossible. It's also probably wrong--most definitely wrong.

Do what you want to do and accept that others are doing what they want to do. If there's conflict try to resolve it. If it can not be resolved to the satisfaction of both parties part ways amicably.

If you think you can coerce someone with enough persistence--and if you're using this thread to gain motivation to continue--you're in the wrong. Do not do it.

I haven’t deleted my accounts yet, but I just don’t use anything Facebook. No apps in my phone and don’t login on computer. I’ve lost touch with some and missed out on a lot of news about loved ones. But I can’t have it both ways, so I’ve grieved my loss and moved on. Even if their business practices weren’t so vile, I can’t handle the content not being chronological.

I have contemplated setting up a server for photo sharing, but I doubt anyone will participate. So now I just send text messages or use shared albums with iOS users.