We hear about sites/internet being shut down in repressive countries.
If that suddenly happened in your country would it affect you in any way?
I came to the conclusion that no, why would it? It is simply a minor part of my life and I have plenty of other interests to occupy my life.
Have a lie in 
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Not being able to access Social Network sites wouldn’t bother me a lot - I often don’t log onto social sites when I’m away from home on my travels - but if the reason I couldn’t access them was because the country I lived in had such a repressive government that it denied access to online social networks, then that would bother me a lot.
I would not want to live under such a repressive regime.
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I agree. It won’t affect me in the least as I’m not a member of any social network site.
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Isn’t this site a Social Network Site?
If it isn’t, then I must be misunderstanding the definition of “online social networks”
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I expected that question. 
It depends on the definition. For me it isn’t really since it isn’t as large and popular as the so called social media Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, etc. I assume that Bretrick had those in mind.
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Ah, OK.
Well that changes my answer to the OP - I wouldn’t even notice if access to large “popular” social networks were restricted because I don’t use them.
I am a member of a couple of small friendship forums, like this one - these are my preferred methods of online social networking.
I still wouldn’t want to live under a repressive regime which restricted access to sites such as Facebook etc for folk who do want to use them.
Mass Censorship is usually the tool of Dictators.
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This is a social network site, would you be affected if you were denied access suddenly and forever?
Sure, I’d find other things to do. But I would feel a loss. I’ve been interacting with people online for decades. I’m sure there would be a shift of how people communicated over long distances. I’d follow that shift.
Some folks have disassociated themselves before any potential shutdown, is that a smart move?
That’s a difficult question. On the one hand I would because I like it. On the other hand I wouldn’t since I wouldn’t even say that I’m a full member of this site and because I’m also a member of other sites. I’m being reminded of Groucho Marx saying that “I wouldn’t care to belong to any club that will accept me as a member.” 
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I managed perfectly well for the first 50/60 years of my life and I have no doubt I could manage perfectly well for my remaining few.
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You would miss the Lads for the first month though, unless you had a MOHO
Then it would be a week 
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For those people it might be a smart move.
They already have other things to occupy themselves with.
That is one big fat assumption.
Is it not?
I would…
Read more books
Do more housework
Get back to my writing
Spend more time with my dog
Maybe go shopping, weather permitting
I’d miss the friends I’ve made, but it can take over our lives if we let it. And I do. Let it. It’s addictive.
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No tears from me. I wouldn’t touch Facebook, twitter etc with a bargepole anyway.
Having grown up in a time before social media existed it’s not ingrained in anyway whatsoever. I’ve got plenty of books to catch up on and other hobbies and interests to enjoy and pursue, some of which when it eventually stops raining
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Around here a lot of our community groups organise and promote themselves on Facebook etc and that’s how we get to know what’s on and join in
So I’d really miss that. I supposed we’d have to go back to newsletters, adverts in the papers, posters in the town centre, libraries, community centres etc
And I’d miss the buy and sale groups. Again, I suppose it would be back to adverts in the local paper, maybe car boot sales?
I suspect I’d read newspapers and use the library and community facilities more overall, probably spend more time in the pub!
But I’d probably be too busy out campaigning and on protest marches against any government that took away my freedoms and the access to the World Wide Web away from me!
Because I think the way news and information travels do fast and so far over the internet is a fantastic thing for our freedom and any government that fears that and tries to stop it probably has a lot to hide and doesn’t want us knowing the truth or banding together to oppose them
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Anyone with a MoHo? It’s your duty to whiz us away.
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A few years ago I was seriously ill in hospital. Speech is still a bit of a problem so I use text for social networks as a rule.
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