Why I Chose to Run My Own Website Instead of Using Social Media
For the past 15 years, my escape from social media has been running my own website. There are distinct advantages to doing so. First and foremost, I own all the material I post. I can take it down whenever I want and remove it from web searches by using redirects until the updates take effect.
Unlike on social media, where your content becomes their property the moment you hit the submit button, I have full control over my website. I can change, edit, or delete anything I post because it’s my property. Social media platforms, on the other hand, keep records of everything you say and do, often for the rest of your life. News stories abound with examples of how social media comments resurface to haunt people decades later.
Employers now routinely conduct thorough searches of your social media history, hiring companies to investigate you. If you’ve written anything deemed undesirable, you may be blocked from employment, regardless of your skills, knowledge, or ability. You’re judged based on your beliefs rather than your qualifications.
Social media also owns every photograph you’ve ever posted. They know about you, your family, and your circle of friends. AI can analyze the company you keep, and employers can too. This information is often used against you at some point. People have been victimized, with their photos being manipulated and exploited online. Women, in particular, have found themselves exposed in ways they never intended. Social media platforms sell your information, as described in their legal disclaimers, which reveal the rights you give up to post.
Running your own website means you won’t see the same high traffic numbers as media companies. My site gets less than a hundred views a week, but that’s a good thing. I don’t need millions of hits. I don’t use ads, sell anything, or require accounts. Your email address is only used to prevent spam when you comment, and you can use a disposable one to keep your identity hidden. I don’t need to know who you are.
Many of my friends read my posts. My website ownership information is hidden, and I use only my first name on the site. I don’t disclose anything else except the city and county I live in—there are plenty of Mikes out there. On social media, you can’t do that; you’re exposed. Companies are out there buying and selling your information, but nobody can sell mine because I oversee my website.
Websites are cheap to run. While some technical knowledge is required, there are many tools available to help. If you want to discuss things publicly, I recommend creating your own blog so you can control it and protect yourself, your friends, and your family. With just a few clicks, I can delete all my content. While this doesn’t prevent people from taking screenshots or printing it, it allows me to change my mind about some of the content I post. I’m not a “flip-flopper,” but keeping an open mind sometimes leads to changes in my opinions. Listening to others can make sense, and sometimes I’m just wrong. Owning my website allows me to correct my mistakes and apologize for them.
It’s clear from my blog that I’m not a liberal. I disagree with many things happening in our country, but I don’t want social media owning my thoughts. There will always be a time when you might regret something you’ve written, and social media never forgets. Just look at all the people who have had to apologize for things they wrote decades ago.
In February 2004, Facebook went live. It was a big deal, and I set up an account before I realized the dangers of social media. After six months, I deleted my account. It took hours of work and writing to various companies to have my personal information removed from the web. I still search a couple of times a year and find that my information has been sold—not by a social media company, but by a credit card company or someone I bought something from. Removing this information takes time, and some people even pay for this service. It’s a real business that makes millions of dollars.
Social media has its place, I suppose. My wife uses it and only posts family stuff—no politics or opinions. She tells me there’s nothing out there that could embarrass her. It does have some nice features, like reminders of what you did a year or two ago, which are fun to revisit. It isn’t all bad, but for me, the risks outweigh the benefits.
Owning your own blog is a good thing. It allows me to speak my mind without the repercussions that social media brings. I suppose there’s a downside somewhere that I haven’t realized yet, but for now, I highly recommend blogging because you can control the flow of information and protect yourself and your family from the negative aspects of social media.
For those who read my website but don’t comment, you can always use my contact link if you want to keep your comment private. The information you leave is hidden by programming, and I can respond via a secure message. Leave a password you’d like to use to open my response so I can send it encrypted, providing the ultimate security for you.
Now you know why I escaped social media years ago.
