[TrevorBramble]

Network of friends = lock in, lock in => abuse

Bingo! Facebook is the best available means of keeping up with geographically distributed and loosely connected friends and family, which was the core conflict I faced when I decided I didn't like how I was being treated by Zuckerberg, et al.

I resolved it internally when I realized that they were essentially holding my relationships hostage to get what they want out of me. After that it was easy to leave.

[joe_the_user]

Yes, and another aspect of this is that Facebook has a network of users who feel trapped in Facebook rather than happy with Facebook. They talk about this on and off Facebook. Facebook's brand is hurt, its level of respect goes down and a mass-exodus becomes more likely when the means appear for users to leave taking their friends with them.