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Facebook – You are the Product

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71–80 of 321 posts

Re: Facebook – You are the Product

#71
post #5

I stopped using Facebook years ago and I could not recommend it more. I found it to be mental pollution at best and and a total waste of time. If you want to 'keep in touch' with people, call or text them. Make an effort to actually interact with the people who matter to you.

So tell me, how do i replace around 5 different group chats i have on messenger which can have anywhere between 5-10 people in each chat? Music events that i go to are exclusively promoted on facebook. How do you recommend i find out about these events so that i can get a cheaper ticket price? if anyone wants to organize a plan that has more than 8 people, facebook groups make it much much easier. I personally hate f…

Just stop. Do other things. Plenty of people seem to find a way and live great and wonderful lives without facebook. You can too.

I get what you're saying regarding the utility of facebook, but it's really not missed much once you leave.

Re: Facebook – You are the Product

#72
post #5

I stopped using Facebook years ago and I could not recommend it more. I found it to be mental pollution at best and and a total waste of time. If you want to 'keep in touch' with people, call or text them. Make an effort to actually interact with the people who matter to you.

Facebook is a much better way for me to share pictures of my kids to all my relatives. Sure I can text that picture to each individually, but some people want to see all pictures in full detail while some want to see just a few.

I have no way of knowing who wants to see any individual pictures. My parents want to see nearly all. What about my second cousin who I haven't seen in person in 15 years because she lives so far away? What about the running back of our high school football team? I'm not close enough that I'd send any pictures to either of them, but in fact they like that once in a while they see pictures of my kids and remember I exist.

Facebook solves a real social problem that text, and phones do not solve. (There are other solutions, but Facebook is the popular one)

What made Facebook useful for me is when I blocked all games. I'm slowly eliminating political posts as well, but since I'm active in politics some of my real friends are also active which makes this impossible.

Re: Facebook – You are the Product

#73
post #40
post #6

I wonder if, in the future, being able not to be on any social media will be an higher class privilege.

I think it already is. I recently deleted my FB and Twitter accounts. I had to keep my LinkedIn account because a recruiter told me that if I didn't have at least some online persona then I was weird and wouldn't be hired. I guess I'm not rich enough to delete all my social media.

That's BS, I haven't had a LinkedIn account in ages and have not had any trouble when on the job market. I have a Twitter account, but it's dormant - I should probably just delete it, actually...

Re: Facebook – You are the Product

#74
post #15
post #9

I read more and more articles and comments about things we've been saying for years. How come you wake up now and say that like it's a surprise ?

Every time I think something like this, I remember that xkcd [1] about people learning things you already know, especially the mouseover text. [1]: https://xkcd.com/1053/

Fair enough :) And probably wiser.

I just felt frustrated that so much people discarded the arguments years ago only to read it everywhere now.

Re: Facebook – You are the Product

#75
post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well... As someone who has moved to various countries and across continents a few times over the last three decades, I can hardly find another medium that allows me to keep up with friends and family across many countries and time zones easily. Before Facebook I created and/or used e-mail aliases, e-mail groups, forums, file hosting services, etc. to share our story with friends and family. Facebook makes it much sim…

How about letters via snail mail? It's a lot more personal, since you have to set aside some time to sit down and read/write the letters without the all of the distractions Facebook presents to you, and you're able to filter it to the subjects that are important to you rather than a constant stream of thought from everyone you know.

This is hardly practical :), let alone slow and expensive with all the pictures printed etc.

Re: Facebook – You are the Product

#76
post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well... As someone who has moved to various countries and across continents a few times over the last three decades, I can hardly find another medium that allows me to keep up with friends and family across many countries and time zones easily. Before Facebook I created and/or used e-mail aliases, e-mail groups, forums, file hosting services, etc. to share our story with friends and family. Facebook makes it much sim…

How about letters via snail mail? It's a lot more personal, since you have to set aside some time to sit down and read/write the letters without the all of the distractions Facebook presents to you, and you're able to filter it to the subjects that are important to you rather than a constant stream of thought from everyone you know.

That would work for my parents. It means my second cousin and I exchange "Christmas cards" and no more which leaves a lot out.

Re: Facebook – You are the Product

#77
post #21
post #6

I wonder if, in the future, being able not to be on any social media will be an higher class privilege.

I wondered this awhile back. albeit I took it in a different direction... I think that social media already gives you opportunities to do things when you login with your social media account. I think in the future (and probably already happening) you get discounts for sharing your social media data and that higher classes (or wealthier people) can afford to not share that information which is why they will not use it…

I'd say that more than 1 company would be delighted to implement the black mirror episode: live in a box, 1-click order stuff delivered to your box, Pay if you Do Not want... some stuff.

Re: Facebook – You are the Product

#78
post #40
post #6

I wonder if, in the future, being able not to be on any social media will be an higher class privilege.

I think it already is. I recently deleted my FB and Twitter accounts. I had to keep my LinkedIn account because a recruiter told me that if I didn't have at least some online persona then I was weird and wouldn't be hired. I guess I'm not rich enough to delete all my social media.

That recruiter is full of shit. A GitHub presence should be enough to get hired for any decent job.

Re: Facebook – You are the Product

#79
post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it already is. I recently deleted my FB and Twitter accounts. I had to keep my LinkedIn account because a recruiter told me that if I didn't have at least some online persona then I was weird and wouldn't be hired. I guess I'm not rich enough to delete all my social media.

Fascinating that a recruiter actually told you that. I wonder if it's actually true or if the recruiter was saying that because...they are a recruiter and having people on LinkedIn makes their life easier.

To clarify, the recruiter is more specifically a transition specialist for military members and usually finds jobs in project management. Finding a first job out of the military is a little different because you're old but don't have the same work history as your competition. Employers are less likely to take a risk on your non-standard background if you seem like a "wierdo."

Re: Facebook – You are the Product

#80
post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it already is. I recently deleted my FB and Twitter accounts. I had to keep my LinkedIn account because a recruiter told me that if I didn't have at least some online persona then I was weird and wouldn't be hired. I guess I'm not rich enough to delete all my social media.

Fascinating that a recruiter actually told you that. I wonder if it's actually true or if the recruiter was saying that because...they are a recruiter and having people on LinkedIn makes their life easier.

Do not underestimate the lengths recruiters (or anyone in charge of hiring for that matter) will go to in order to paint a picture of who they think you are solely based on the social media content they are able to find (or not find) on you.

I have a common name, and have been passed over for job opportunities because someone else in my city with my same name at one point had a facebook account full of obscenities.

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