Why I quit chasing Facebook likes despite earning thousands per post as an IT engineer

Working in IT, I had been using social media since the internet arrived in Vietnam in 1997. I was once a well-known blogger during Yahoo’s heyday before moving to Facebook, where I regularly posted my photographs. Each post attracted thousands of likes and hundreds of comments. I spent entire days staring at my phone, responding to everyone. Sometimes, I even woke up in the middle of the night just to check if anyone had reacted to my posts.

A laptop displays Facebook's login page on the screen. Illustration photo by Pexels

I also spent one to two hours daily to like and comment on others’ posts. There was an unspoken rule: if someone liked my posts, I had to like theirs. As the saying goes, "You scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours."

Years of this routine took a serious toll on my health, and I began to realize how much I had neglected real-life relationships. Hobbies that I once loved now seem dull and uninteresting.

That's when I made a major decision—I quit Facebook. I stopped posting entirely. Occasionally, I logged in to check the news, but I no longer engaged with anyone’s posts.

Without Facebook, my life took on new meaning. I spent more time with family and friends, joined local sports and cultural events, and saw my physical and mental health improve.

That was years ago. Now, I have no regrets about my decision back then. I don’t feel out of touch or left behind after I stop browsing Facebook. If anything, quitting social media helped me focus on what truly matters.

*Editor's note: As of June 2023, nearly 80% of Vietnam’s internet users were on social media, spending almost three hours daily. Nearly half of those aged 18-34 admitted they checked social media first thing in the morning and right before bed, struggling to break the habit.