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Personal Reason for Hating Facebook (2015)

righteousruminations.blogspot.com

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Re: Personal Reason for Hating Facebook (2015)

#31

Post by vanilla_nut »

I really sympathize with statements like this:

>I hate that, if I somehow don’t want to consign my personal data, beliefs, preferences, relationships, work history, daily plans, and private messages to a massive advertising corporation, I have to risk missing out on seminal life events.

I feel very much the same way. Social media is a tool that we can use to make social interaction more convenient, but it should not replace real social interaction. Writing a letter, an email, calling a friend, or even sending a text should not be replaced by Facebook because it is ultimately a corporation that seeks to exploit those very interactions for its own profit through means you may not agree with -- that is, selling off your personal data to advertisers.

That being said, it's fine to use Facebook occasionally to check up on what's happening with your friends across the globe. But I really think that everyone should consider removing their "close" friends from Facebook and moving that communication to in-person talks, phone calls, or even text messages. If you're logging onto Facebook even once a day, you're playing into their psychological traps: it's probably best reserved for a lazy Sunday afternoon, something like how older folks treat email. You certainly don't need it on your phone.

If you're concerned that you'll lose friends by deleting your Facebook, you can always keep a Messenger account connected to your phone number and not miss out on group communications. If you're a mover and shaker in your social groups, try pulling your groups away from Facebook. Organizing an event? Offer to send out a mass email to people instead of using Facebook. Or text people yourself instead. Decoupling yourself from Facebook only gives you more power when they decide to do misbehave (do you really think this is the last or worse scandal we'll see from Zuck), and if you're really successful, your friend group will eventually start to realize that they don't need Facebook any more either. Everyone isn't going to delete their Facebook overnight, but if folks start to disconnect bit by bit we'll a) all be better off and have more future options when it comes to Facebook's manipulation and b) start to make Facebook less and less valuable, so eventually people won't even want to join in the first place. "What is an ocean... but a multitude of drops?"

Re: Personal Reason for Hating Facebook (2015)

#33

Post by hueving »

jacquesm wrote: post #19
graeme wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even on iphone with content blockers running and location services disabled for most apps except while using? Referring to ad companies here, not NSA etc

Yep. Unless you disable your WiFi and only use a VPN while you are connecting to the web via your phone.

How does wifi impact it if location services are disabled? Or are you referring to apps that have permissions to list wireless networks?

Re: Personal Reason for Hating Facebook (2015)

#34

Post by mondoshawan »

astura wrote: post #17
jakequade wrote: post #7

Sorry, but for the most part this sounds stupid. You're hating a widespread method of communication because it doesn't work for you _when you're not using it_. That's like complaining that no one text messages you if you never opted in to owning a phone.

Yeah, and it's really baffling that someone who is a self described "introvert," who goes years without speaking to people they consider close friends, is upset they didn't get an invite to a high school reunion !?!? Why would someone like that want to attend a high school reunion in the first place? They didn't get an invite because they don't stay in communication with people, not because they don't have a Facebook…

Maybe because without an event to go to, it's difficult to force themselves out into the world?

Maybe because they wanted to see their friend at said event?

Or maybe, just maybe, they didn't have the current contact info for their friends and would like so still see them but otherwise can't setup a meeting with them?

The article doesn't make all of the facts plain, so it's pointless to speculate the full details.

Re: Personal Reason for Hating Facebook (2015)

#35

Post by wyager »

komali2 wrote: post #26
brianfitz wrote: post #15

I remember reading this when it was originally posted years ago and have had time to think about the implications. I am just over 40, so most of my class reunions were organized through Facebook and was amazed at the turn-out possible because of these new social networks. For my mother, there were simply people she no longer knew how to reach — including one of her best friends from childhood. Years went by until Fac…

Agreed. Furthermore, Facebook doesn't require your work history or any of the other things the author claims is it's blood payment cost of entry. Last I checked it needs a valid email address, name, and password. I've stripped most of my personal information off Facebook and now just use it as a messaging app and a "find me by name" sort of internet yellow pages thing.

> Last I checked it needs a valid email address, name, and password.

I’ve had friends have to submit government ID to prove that they were using their real name.

Re: Personal Reason for Hating Facebook (2015)

#36

Post by apo »

Not being on Facebook is sort of like not having a cellphone.

As someone who has never had a cell phone, I can say that living this way in a first-world country is challenging. I've been in situations where it's assumed I do have a cell phone, and the result ranges from awkward to maddening for the other party.

I also don't have a Facebook account. Not having a cell phone is much more troublesome.

The pull of network effect doesn't just mean that people join for opportunity. If sufficiently insinuated into daily life, some become compelled to join out of necessity.

But with Facebook and Cell Phones, joining this club takes a major toll one's privacy.

That's the dilemma anyone resisting network effect faces.

Re: Personal Reason for Hating Facebook (2015)

#37

Post by tim333 »

vanilla_nut wrote: post #31

I really sympathize with statements like this: >I hate that, if I somehow don’t want to consign my personal data, beliefs, preferences, relationships, work history, daily plans, and private messages to a massive advertising corporation, I have to risk missing out on seminal life events. I feel very much the same way. Social media is a tool that we can use to make social interaction more convenient, but it should not…

I would have thought a simple solution to

>I somehow don’t want to consign my personal data, beliefs, preferences, relationships, work history, daily plans, and private messages to a massive advertising corporation, I have to risk missing out on seminal life events

Is just to have a facebook account with you name and picture and limit to that? Log in in an incognito window if you really don't want them to know what you are browsing?

Re: Personal Reason for Hating Facebook (2015)

#38

Post by kelnos »

> I feel that my only real choices are to either A. Get with the program and embrace the dominant protocols of society...

Um, yes? That's literally what bring a part of a society is about. I'm not thrilled that Facebook has woven itself so deeply into our society, but if you're not on it, it's likely you'll be missing out on some things. Many of those things you may not care about, but unfortunately for some, like the death of a dear friend, you will care.

Re: Personal Reason for Hating Facebook (2015)

#39

Post by femto »

Communicating in a way that is mutually agreeable is a more powerful enabler of friendship than the existence of an entry in Facebook's database.

I put it to you that Facebook is about group communication, whereas friendship is about one-on-one communication. As such Facebook has nothing to do with friendship, and it is a delusion to think otherwise. Those Facebook "friends" are actually acquaintances, and your friends are those smaller number of people whom you talk to outside Facebook.

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