While a completely legitimate choice, I argue that online anonymity and being disconnected from the major online social networks comes at a cost, and this will increase over time. More companies now use your online social graph, to verify your identity and to determine your value as a customer.
There are already signs today that those who aren't connected are disadvantaged in real-life. Many examples out there, here are some selected ones:
1. Party somewhere else - no entry into clubs without FB verification
That's right, without a Facebook account, you can forget about partying it up at some clubs. In the UK, some clubs have started to verify patrons' age through their Facebook accounts and tally it against their ID.
http://www.digitaltrends.com/social-media/club-bouncers-are-now-checking-your-facebook-to-confirm-identity/
2. Get in queue at the cafe, while those with Klout check in at the first-class lounge
At SFO and a number of other airports, a Klout score of over 40, measured by your social network size and influence, gets you into Cathay Pacific's first-class lounge, regardless of the airline you fly on.
http://thepointsguy.com/2012/05/klout-offers-some-free-cathay-pacific-lounge-access-at-sfo/
3. Stay in hotel-chains, unique homestays only for those proper online personas
Opening up your home to a stranger can be quite terrifying, but knowing if you have a common friend or if the person has sizable online social network helps verify that you've got a legit guest. AirBNB reflects the social network of potential hosts and renters to allow both parties to validate each other before confirming transactions. Without this, your chances of getting accepted by a host declines - and it's back to booking from the good old hotel chains.
http://www.airbnb.com/social
But wait, even at hotel-chains, social media users get extra perks - anything from extra loyalty points to F&B discounts. Starwood is a pioneer in this area, linking up with Foursquare and Facebook.
http://www.spgpromos.com/socialcheckins/
Where does it go from here? By and large, staying disconnected today implies more of 'perks lost' rather than being 'denied services'. But you can imagine more companies getting onto this act: banks offering personalised interest rates , insurance agencies offering differentiated insurance premiums, telecom operators providing special price plans - all based off your online social network.
