Poll: Facebook use

[ERD50]

Not really any of the above. I do not use it, but DW does, and it is great for keeping up with people you might not normally reach out to very often, and provides faster updates of those you do talk with regularly.

But I don't really want to get sucked in to another internet thing, I spend enough time on various forums and other computer related things. So I do not use it, but I do feel I may be missing out a bit. But that was not a poll choice.


I think this was discussed earlier, but it seems some of these social sites reach out further than one might expect. My Mom (who does not do Facebook), mentioned that another family member's FB pictures came up when she clicked some link related to Petco, because they both apparently have Petco card/accounts? So the common Petco account opened up to their FB page?

Now maybe those FB pages were public and not enough privacy locks, but I don't like the idea that I have to be so careful with all of this. I'll avoid it if I can.

It seems like google has got more complex on this. A while back, I posted a few things to youtube. Since they were in two completely unrelated categories, I used different logins with each, just to keep identities separate (not that important, I just figured why cross these things). And I would sometimes use a third login to comment on youtube. But now it seems these things are all merged into google+ or something, and it looks like anything I post anywhere on the internet through that can be viewed by others and tied together. It's hard to tell, and confusing to me. So I'm trying to just avoid it.

Just as a simple example, if I'm posting to a music or beer brewing site or youtube video on those subjects, I don't need those people to see my other postings maybe on political or religious or philosophy topics. People have really strong ideas on some of that, and when it comes to those other worlds, it does not apply, so I just prefer to keep it separate. But they seem to make that difficult now.

-ERD50

 

[audreyh1]

We became active on Facebook because it's by far the best way to keep track of the local state and nature parks and butterfly gardens in the area and with local wildlife and photography enthusiasts. We don't share any personal/private stuff on Facebook other than nature photos or happenings. In fact, we don't use our real name, although people we know figure out who we are soon enough.

Here is a good example of how Facebook is useful to us:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/texbirds/

And examples of how our area nature parks use Facebook to communicate to the public:
https://www.facebook.com/esterollano

Even our local birding and butterfly festivals maintain Facebook pages that they update year around.
https://www.facebook.com/rgvbf

The local parks are very active on Facebook, so it's the easiest way to stay in touch. Most of our wildlife enthusiast and wildlife photographer enthusiast buddies are active in Facebook groups dedicated to butterflies or dragonflies or birds in our immediate area. If there is anything exciting happening nearby, we find out quickly!

We also have a private Facebook group for our development, and that is another pretty key place to be plugged in to know what is happening around us and to share neighbor information.

Many nature enthusiasts used to use message boards or phone hotlines to share timely nature sightings. Now Facebook has pretty much taken over that function.

 

[Major Tom]

To follow on from what Audrey said, I also use it to keep in touch with local events and happenings. There is a group here who will be opening up one of the first cat cafes in the US. They post their progress on Facebook, and I enjoy following it. Yesterday, they posted a photo of a location they are considering, and it was exciting to see that it is just a few blocks from my house. The cat adoption agency I volunteer with has a very active Facebook page, and I like to keep in touch with that. This morning, the lady who updates it posted a picture of a cat I happen to know was adopted out over the weekend (because I was there when it happened). I was able to e-mail her to let her know that particular kitty was no longer available.

Sure, you can use e-mail and telephone to keep in touch, as well as the best way - face-to-face contact, but Facebook is a little different from e-mail and telephone in that it is a way for groups of people to easily communicate. It's a bit like broadcasting to an audience you select.

I am not surprised that there are so many people here who don't like FB - and of course, that is fine. I can well understand the frustrations. My theory as to why so many here don't like it is that we have a lot of introverts here, in particular, INTJ's and similar types (I am an INTJ). We tend to get over-stimulated easily, and like lots of quiet. Perhaps FB is just too much stimulus from too many different directions? Add to that the fact that some of us are a bit older and, well, perhaps getting a bit grumpy in our old age (I'm guilty of that too), and this might explain why many of us aren't keen on this type of social media.

I get miffed from time to time at the political memes, many of which are based on very incomplete facts, and therefore misleading. I have unfollowed most of the annoying people, but some of them I just grin and bear it, because their good sides outweigh their irksome sides.

 

[samclem]

. . .another family member's FB pictures came up when she clicked some link related to Petco, because they both apparently have Petco card/accounts?

At the risk of sounding like a tin foil chapeauist, I make it a point to use a made-up name for all those shopping loyalty cards. I'm just not interested in having Kroger, CVS, etc and all who buy data from them know what I purchase. As a bonus, I think it's a patriotic duty for people to throw grit into the giant data collection/analysis borg whenever the opportunity arises.

 

[imoldernu]

Long ago, in the earliest days of Facebook, I signed up with a rarely used Email account, from a public computer, and ith a false name... just to see what would happen.

I have never posted to that, but get a daily note from Facebook, on my current Email account... with my real name. The updates tell me that I have 160 people who want to be my friend, and I know them all, but have never responded. Likewise on Classmates...

It has taken me years to trim down the number of Emails I get... Having lived in 22 different communities, we decided that trying to keep in touch with everyone was taking too much out of our current life, so slowing the flow gives us more peace of mind. Immediate family, and the webpage for our current communities is enough.

Not anti social... just too busy living our own lives.

 

[braumeister]

You are missing out on a great way to keep up with the folks you choose to keep up with! Get a friend who is a regular user to help you set it up with the proper privacy settings and restrictions, then use it as your own interests dictate. It is a tool not a cult.

This is just what other friends have told me, and it does make sense. DW is a regular user. Most days she only spends 10 minutes on it, but will occasionally spend an hour or two if something special happens.

Does anyone know of good online references to help me interpret and navigate all the settings?

 

[Tadpole]

I locked up my account as tight as possible and left when I realized I had started stalking people I knew in other lives. How creepy is that!?

 

[audreyh1]

This is just what other friends have told me, and it does make sense. DW is a regular user. Most days she only spends 10 minutes on it, but will occasionally spend an hour or two if something special happens.

Does anyone know of good online references to help me interpret and navigate all the settings?

I'm not sure about a reference, but we did several things to keep privacy strict. We only allow friends to comment and like on our Facebook page. We only allow friends of friends to request to friend us (and if we don't know the person we ignore or deny the request). We don't allow anyone else to post to our timeline, so our timeline stays free of clutter - just the occasional nature photo or video we choose to share. You can choose to only let friends see your timeline - a lot of folks do this.

We don't tell Facebook where we went to school or college, when our birthdays are, even where we really live - too sensitive.

 

[Midpack]

I could be described as an avid FB user, but I have not joined (simply because DW is [-]terrified[/-] worried about privacy). Several of my favorite restaurants and businesses post/update several times a day, in contrast to their websites that are rarely updated. So I use FB every day, but not in the manner Mark & Sheryl would like...

 

[audreyh1]

It's true that many businesses and state parks have Facebook pages that can be viewed by the public without requiring a Facebook account. Good point!

You only have to join if you want to comment or post something, like a photo. Being able to post a photo of something we took at one of the parks was ultimately why we joined with our alias. That was the easiest way by far to share nature photos and videos we took at a given park with the park and their public. And it still is.

 

[audreyh1]

Here is another good example that has nothing to do with friends, or family, but rather being able to tap into and share with a specific group of night sky photography enthusiasts from all over the world. I only have personally met one of the individuals - and that when I was out night shooting - and he's the one that mentioned this group. It's a very inspiring group of photographers.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/NightSkyPhotography/

 

[MBAustin]

Check it daily, "like" a few things, post once or twice a week. Enjoy being in touch with my best friend from elementary school (she moved away in 6th grade and haven't seen her since, but we found out we not only are both NASCAR fans but that Jeff Gordon is our favorite driver!) and my cousins.

 

[Alan]

DW and I are both on FB but we don't post much except when we travel. Our family is scattered from California to the UK to Australia and it is very useful to keep in touch, and share photos.

A couple of years ago when we were visiting DW's younger sister and family, her BIL was complaining that he always felt excluded from things going on at work as his fellow workers used FB to schedule meetings and other events, but he refuses to "join the herd" and be a member on FB. We told him he could join and only have fellow workers as friends and lock down his account so no one knew he even existed on FB. His wife, DW's sister, is on FB but rarely posts, however in this year's flooding in their area it was great to see her post updates on their situation, with photos. Much easier than e-mails to a group of friends and family.

 

[splitwdw]

Signed up cause sisters thought it was a good idea. After strangers wanting to be my friend and reading what people had for dinner, I thought this was crazy. My accounts still open but I don't post and rarely go on FB.

 

[iam21177]

I use Facebook almost daily.

But it's not for personal use; I am the social media volunteer for a local animal rescue group, so I post volunteer needs, happy tails, updates, fundraisers, adoptable pets just about every day to keep supporters engaged.

Facebook also has been so handy when reuniting lost pets with owners. We're not even a pound for strays, yet people will notify me, "Hey I just found this dog running loose! He's so cute!" I'll see the photo, then the next day, "My dog has been missing for 24 hours." I will ask for photo of him. Sometimes I do cross postings which have lead to many found pets by good Samaritans, other times I have matched pets with their owners all without picking up the phone or even seeing the pet in real life (just a simple photo). Facebook miracles!

I am more active on the rescue's Facebook page than my own. I do like it to see what is going on in other's lives as I don't have the time to make calls and emails for old fashioned regular catching up.

 

[Amethyst]

My FB circle is extremely small; family, long-time friends, and a few new friends who got "discovered" during other friends' exchanges.

The politico-religious rants are the worst part. I had no idea what a bunch of ravers many of these people can be. Why they feel comfortable revealing their manias on social media, yet (to my knowledge) have never mentioned them in person, is a mystery worthy of a Psychology Ph.D. dissertation.

Amethyst

 

[panacea]

Didn't use it for a long time, used it for a while, decided I didn't like it, haven't been on it for a long time. For some reason I feel much better.

 

[longranger]

Do not fit a catagory. I like facebook as a lurker but do not post about myself.

 

[Khan]

FB is my main internet connection. Have actually met a few folks. Met friend in Florid;, visited there; he visited here; we are negotiating pre-nuptial.

I find it wonderful to 'meet' folks and negotiate terms online and IRL.

But then, I've been online since mammoths roamed the web (fidonet and usenet).

 

[Walt34]

I don't use it but DW does just to keep up with friends/family. She asked me to set up the security settings so it's locked down tight. She very rarely posts anything herself and if something important happens (and often not so important) she'll tell me about it.

Like FIREd, DW is my social secretary.

 

[Ronstar]

Never used Facebook. Don't intend to.

 

[Richard4444]

I never knew how many friends I had until I joined FB

 

[ERD50]

I never knew how many friends I had until I joined FB

Reminds me of some comic I heard on TV "So now I have a thousand FaceBook friends, and I still can't get a ride to the airport!".

-ERD50

 

[braumeister]

Thanks for all the replies.
I'm going to give it a try for a while, under strictly limited conditions.

 

[splitwdw]

I never knew how many friends I had until I joined FB

My one sister thinks these strangers are her friends. She spends more time on the internet then she spends with her local friends.