As Facebook grows, millions say, 'no, thanks'

[Hum]

NEW YORK (AP) ? Don't try to friend MaLi Arwood on Facebook. You won't find her there.

You won't find Thomas Chin, either. Or Kariann Goldschmitt. Or Jake Edelstein.

More than 900 million people worldwide check their Facebook accounts at least once a month, but millions more are Facebook holdouts.

They say they don't want Facebook. They insist they don't need Facebook. They say they're living life just fine without the long-forgotten acquaintances that the world's largest social network sometimes resurrects.

They are the resisters.

"I'm absolutely in touch with everyone in my life that I want to be in touch with," Arwood says. "I don't need to share triviality with someone that I might have known for six months 12 years ago."

Even without people like Arwood, Facebook is one of the biggest business success stories in history. The site had 1 million users by the end of 2004, the year Mark Zuckerberg started it in his Harvard dorm room. Two years later, it had 12 million. Facebook had 500 million by summer 2010 and 901 million as of March 31, according to the company.

But if Facebook is to live up to its pre-IPO hype and reward the investors who are clamoring for its stock this week, it needs to convince some of the resisters to join. Two out of every five American adults have not joined Facebook, according to a recent Associated Press-CNBC poll. Among those who are not on Facebook, a third cited a lack of interest or need.

If all those people continue to shun Facebook, the social network could become akin to a postal system that only delivers mail to houses on one side of the street. The system isn't as useful, and people aren't apt to spend as much time with it. That means fewer opportunities for Facebook to sell ads.

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[simplezz]

I prefer G+.

[butilikethecookie]

I don't have a face book and I hate it. You want to get ahold of me? Text me, email me, call me, drop by sometime. I rearely ever even check my twitter. I have better things to do than shareing my life with the world and friends I haven't seen in 10+ years.

[_neutrino Veteran]

Sadly had Facebook since it was University only and still using it today, Attempted to switch over to G+ but not enough of my friends/family use it to justify the switch.

[Farstrider]

It's safe to say that at some point in time Facebook will lose it's shine and will become an also ran like it's forebears. I am one of those that has a Facebook account that is rarely used and most of the people who are listed as friends I've not seen in 20 years and probably will not see in the next 20 years! I would have to go with the reasons behind the "resisters" not being interested in the concept!

[simsie]

I liked Facebook originally but as they've tried to make more money it's lost it's way with needless advertising in feed, such as trending articles. I'm also starting to become wary of their practices. I didn't mind when they used to automatically use info to target adverts [no human interaction], much like MySpace before it, but now I'm starting to become wary of their practices.

The golden rule still is to watch what you post though.

Edit: It's also getting too engrained in our lives. It needs to keep it's distance.

[jnelsoninjax]

I am a facebook holdout, I never plan on getting a facebook account, do not see the point in it, check out my poll on this subject, and see that 101 people voted, and 65% voted yes they have a account and use it.

[Vice]

I don't have a facebook account. I've never had one, I don't intend to get one. I've never seen the attraction. I didn't have a bebo or myspace account either. In the end these kind of services always seem to disappear eventually. A few people I know have deleted their accounts recently, seems to be the latest hipster thing to do, delete your facebook and start using a rotary phone xD

[RatherLargeBear]

Rotary

[neufuse Veteran]

I don't have a facebook account. I've never had one, I don't intend to get one. I've never seen the attraction. I didn't have a bebo or myspace account either. In the end these kind of services always seem to disappear eventually. A few people I know have deleted their accounts recently, seems to be the latest hipster thing to do, delete your facebook and start using a rottery phone xD

Rotary cell phone to be percise... Apple is working on it now with the old clickwheel on their next screenless iPhone rotary edition

[Dapen]

We're such rats in a science laboratory to these rich kids up top.

[still1]

I tried holding out but i created one for a girl :crazy:

I don't use it a lot though.

I think facebook is in a ipo bubble.

https://plus.google.com/106909838320943141098/posts/PXGiGug9qBn

[Hum]

I am still resisting Facebook.

Is tempting since my sisters are on it, and a couple of 'famous' people I like.

But Facebook seems to lead to trouble ...

[S_Herbie]

If even if you don't want to "share triviality" there is one advantage that always seems to get glossed over.

Lots of websites are now using Facebook to manage their login / registration - not only is this a quick way to sign up to the latest / must have service but it's also easier to only remember one username password and know that when you change the password it's changed for everything.

If you don't want to post anything on Facebook then don't (or don't let anyone have permission to view your wall / timeline).

[Luis Mazza]

There's absolutely no need to have a Facebook account if you don't care about gossip or exposing your life.

Fact.

[Crisp]

Isn't one of Facebooks policys is that they never delete your account once it's created? Even if you do decided to delete it, it just sits dormant.

[Miuku.]

I really don't care whether someone likes or doesn't like Facebook. Let those that use it keep on using it and let those that don't want to use it do so as well.

Essentially these threads just regurgitate the same "I don't like, I do like" -blah blah where everything has been said a thousand times before. It's like taking care of the demented, every day the same speech gets repeated like a robot.

[Charisma Veteran]

I really don't care whether someone likes or doesn't like Facebook. Let those that use it keep on using it and let those that don't want to use it do so as well.

Essentially these threads just regurgitate the same "I don't like, I do like" -blah blah where everything has been said a thousand times before. It's like taking care of the demented, every day the same speech gets repeated like a robot.

Exactly the way I feel about it--and with most things, really. There are lots of products out there, everybody has different wants and needs... the fact that you do or do not happen to use a particular website/phone/computer/whatever doesn't make you cooler or not cooler than anyone else. (I'm looking at you, rabid fanboys.)

[TheFightSayeth]

I have a funny take on facebook detractors. The more I speak to people who don't/refuse use FB, the more I'm beginning to question their reasons why. Moreso now because it seems like people are just categorically dismissing FB for what they think it is rather than what it actually is.

Facebook is what you make it. The social network that you are a part in is dependent on how much you put into it. If you don't want to catch up with people from 20 years ago, don't. Since the last revamping the group structure, I would argue that it's actually a lot easier to manage the flow of communication, both incoming and outgoing, than it ever has been. For those who mention their problems with ads, they aren't intrusive on the mobile side of the house (yet), they aren't a part of your feeds (again, yet) and any decent ad blocking plug in will take care of the ones that do show up. FB is now taking steps for future ad policy and putting the decision in your hands. See here:

(Sidenote: For those of you who would say that you shouldn't have to use an ad blocking program, yet are concerned about ads on facebook have a choice to do so. If you single out facebook for their ads, but are willing to deal with another site's ads, I won't address that address that hypocrisy. You are obviously confortable with that. The same ads companies will buy ad space on your favorite website anyway. Just carry on.)

[ichi]

There's absolutely no need to have a Facebook account if you don't care about gossip or exposing your life.

Fact.

You can use Facebook without exposing anything.

I sync Facebook events with the Google calendar, and then show all events from my Google calendar on my desktop calendar. That way I can easily keep track of birthdays, planned trips and activities, live shows or whatever my contacts organize.

Then again all my contacts are people I know in real life, most of them close friends and/or people from the drop zone.

[Luis Mazza]

agree, and they have been going on for years.

I think alot of these people use facebook (you kinda do anymore if you wanna stay in touch with friends and family), but say they dont just to be sayin they dont.

There's no nice "stay in touch with your family". Facebook is separating people, creating unnecessary envy, making people lazy to pay real visits and promoting gossip.

This is a bad "tool" and should be discussed. The ones who use it have their reasons and the ones who don't either, so why not discuss them?

Facebook is making people more competitive and unhappy. The ones who like it are always trying to excuse themselves for swimming in the sh**.

[Arachno 1D]

Lots of websites are now using Facebook to manage their login / registration

I just use a nondescript made up account for such purposes

[_kane81]

I think facebook is a useful social networking tool - it doesnt replace mobile, meeting in person etc - it just provides another medium.

That said, I use it everyday and dont see that changing anytime soon - user for 4 yrs

[x-scratch]

facebook is like myspace it got old & boring

[Luis Mazza]

I have a funny take on facebook detractors. The more I speak to people who don't/refuse use FB, the more I'm beginning to question their reasons why. Moreso now because it seems like people are just categorically dismissing FB for what they think it is rather than what it actually is.

Facebook is what you make it. The social network that you are a part in is dependent on how much you put into it. If you don't want to catch up with people from 20 years ago, don't. Since the last revamping the group structure, I would argue that it's actually a lot easier to manage the flow of communication, both incoming and outgoing, than it ever has been. For those who mention their problems with ads, they aren't intrusive on the mobile side of the house (yet), they aren't a part of your feeds (again, yet) and any decent ad blocking plug in will take care of the ones that do show up. FB is now taking steps for future ad policy and putting the decision in your hands. See here:

(Sidenote: For those of you who would say that you shouldn't have to use an ad blocking program, yet are concerned about ads on facebook have a choice to do so. If you single out facebook for their ads, but are willing to deal with another site's ads, I won't address that address that hypocrisy. You are obviously confortable with that. The same ads companies will buy ad space on your favorite website anyway. Just carry on.)

The difference is that in real life you don't have to select people from 20 years ago in a webpage that looks like a serving of people's faces in a serialized menu.