One Tech Tip: How to delete Facebook, Instagram and Threads if you don’t like Meta’s changes

LONDON — Should I stay or should I go — from Meta’s social media platforms? That’s what some Facebook, Instagram and Threads users are wondering after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s announcement this month that the company is relaxing rules on harmful content such as hate speech and abandoning its fact checking program and replacing it with crowdsourced notes. If you want to stop using platforms owned by Meta, here are some pointers: Save your data Before deleting your Facebook account, you should download a copy of all your personal information, which includes details about your activity on the platform, things you’ve shared and data that the company has collected about you. Take a break If you’re not ready to go all the way, Facebook allows users to temporarily shut down their accounts in case they just want to take a break from social media. Temporarily deactivating an account means other users won’t see it anymore, but your posts, photos and videos won’t be deleted and you can still use Facebook Messenger.