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Built on exploitation? In my opinion built on utility supplied to customers.

Actually, it's built on users supplied to advertisers.

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Facebook's utility for me is now near zero, possibly negative. I'm only there because mom is there. Mom's only there because her friends are there.

Moving out of that morass - at least, until mom stops using computers is impossible.

At least with Amazon, Google, Netflix, Apple, Microsoft, etc, I (currently) have meaningful alternatives.

Network effects suck.

> I'm only there because mom is there.

Why should that keep you there, though? She's your mother. Surely, you can talk with her directly even if she is on Facebook.

I'm only there because FB requires a current photo of me alongside a picture of my government issued ID in order to "regain access" to my account in order to deactivate it.

How this is legal is astonishing.

Can't speak for OP but I haven't deactivated my FB to keep tabs on my elderly father. It's an enormously toxic force in his life and it gives me some sense of control when I know what's influencing him. Especially in the throes of the pandemic. He would have engaged in a lot more risky behavior had I not been able to steer him away from some of it.

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