I'm aware how dependent many people are. I imagine that's why suggesting they take responsibility for themselves triggers such emotional responses. I recall one academic study showed people would have to be paid ~$1000 before they'd consider stopping for just a year. But that only makes it all the more important.
If people don't like the way things are then they have to be the change. Facebook is not going to change as it's business model is based on selling it's users. In the absense of taking responsibility for themselves or Facebook chosing to change many default to arguements for government regulation. Bringing in the use of force like this creates problems significantly worse than the privacy issues of the original voluntary Facebook use.
I mean, yep, that's all valid and I'm with you on personal responsibility.
But you just don't stimulate constructive discussions by asserting that the only rational path is the quitting, whilst not factoring in the costs.
This is not a simple case of "watching someone stick their hand on a hot stove and complain over and over that it hurts", because the alternative action you advocate just causes pain of a different kind.
Most of what you're saying is valid, except for the fact that it's simple and obvious to fix.
If it were that simple, we wouldn't need to have this discussion at all.
If people don't like the way things are then they have to be the change. Facebook is not going to change as it's business model is based on selling it's users. In the absense of taking responsibility for themselves or Facebook chosing to change many default to arguements for government regulation. Bringing in the use of force like this creates problems significantly worse than the privacy issues of the original voluntary Facebook use.