Saying Goodbye to Facebook and Reddit

Introduction

It’s official: I’ve finally scrubbed the last remnants of the “Big Tech” social experience from my digital life. If you’ve been following my recent site updates, you might have noticed the icons for Facebook, Messenger, and Reddit have vanished, replaced by a much leaner set of federated alternatives.

Why I ditched Facebook and ReddIt

The decision to ditch Facebook and Reddit really came down to a simple realization: I was tired of being the product. Every time I opened those apps, I felt less like a user and more like a data point being harvested. Between the constant tracking and the sheer volume of advertising being shoved into my feeds, the experience had become more of a chore than a way to connect with people. I don’t want to be “bombarded” by ads just to see what my friends are up to, and I certainly don’t miss the privacy-invasive nature of those platforms.

Instead, I’ve moved my “town square” conversations over to Friendica and Lemmy. Because they are part of the Fediverse, there are no secret algorithms or corporate owners trying to monetize my attention. On Lemmy, I can find the same community-driven discussions I enjoyed on Reddit, but without the corporate baggage.

Matrix and its blind spot

I also made the tough call to move away from Matrix as a messaging platform. While I’m a fan of encryption and decentralized tech, Matrix has a significant “blind spot” that I can no longer ignore: accessibility. As a screen reader user, the experience on both the Element X mobile app and Element Web app has been consistently frustrating. There is a clear lack of commitment to making the core platform work for people like me, and unfortunately, the ecosystem lacks viable third-party clients that bridge that gap.

Communication is a fundamental right, and if a platform isn’t accessible, it isn’t truly decentralized—it’s just another walled garden for the able-bodied. For now, I’m sticking with Signal and SimpleX for my messaging needs, as they actually take the time to ensure their interfaces work with the tools I use every day.

Conclusion

It feels good to have a codebase and a social circle that actually aligns with my values. If you’re on the Fediverse, I’ll see you there… Goodbye, Facebook, Matrix and ReddIt, and good riddance!