Some questions about Facebook.

[Audley Strange]

I had a myspace account once and an early invite to Facebook which I used infrequently and cancelled before it killed Myspace. I never used them really, I tried, but I found myself just reading the ongoing trivial minutiae of people I knew and some I didn't. But I considered social networking somewhat suspicious and that's not changed much. However I've noticed a that lot of folks I know who do use Facebook seem to get stressed and annoyed by it. Much of this seems to me to be because as I said before people use it like a psychic toilet, but I don't really get how people assume somehow they can't just leave it.

I know a lad who was in a bad mood for days because of an ongoing argument he was having on Facebook with some guy he barely knew about some band I'd barely heard of, (Bring me the sky or something) he would sit in the cafeteria seething as he battered away on his phone and snapping at people around him and not focussing on his work. He even ranted that he "fucking hated Facebook" sometimes.

So my questions are this. If you do use Facebook, have you had negative experiences on it that affected you or your relationships with people in the real world. Have you lost friends or fallen out with family members because of it. Have you found yourself being stressed out or angry because of it?

[pErvinalia]

no.

[Rum]

I use it and have whittled the number of 'friends' I had down to about 80 from a total of almost 200 a while back. I have my dad as a friend and I have not compartmentalised (you can have sections hidden from other sections) so he sees everything I post and I use that to make sure I stay within certain bounds with what I post and my language etc.

I am in touch with work colleagues from a job I left 10 years ago, a school mate, my son and daughter, a scattering of Ratzes and so on. It is a great way to stay in touch with people you might not otherwise and you can make it as big or as small a thing as you like. Games can be played, pictures posted, blogs advertised - you name it.

It certainly does pose the potential for addiction or getting out of hand and for some people it does. But it is actually pretty much in your hands.

Also - too many motivational posters, cats falling over or looking cute and such! AGHR!

[Trinity]

I used to get pissed off with all of the ads but since I found an ad block download, that's no problem. Similarly, over time, I've dropped connections who, in the main, posted irrelevant and trite bullshit/gossip. I have whittled my FB circle down to close family, fellow Ratz who I relate with and friends who share more than one aspect of life in common with me. I have been shocked a couple of times by disturbing posts that somehow got to my page, but because you can block posts from particular sources, it hasn't happened since. I have had a few heated debates, but as I ultimately respect that other's opinions can differ to mine, I don't get riled about it. I do have days when I might share an inane humorous quote but hey, I'm allowed to be shallow sometimes!! I think I like FB not just for connecting with people (I don't get out much!) but for sharing and passing forward interesting, pertinent, amusing and thought provoking content.

[rachelbean]

I use Facebook and have for several years (Before that was Myspace, before that was Friendster). I don't get in arguments, because I don't really argue over the internet anyway.

I use it to keep in touch with my family (my parents, and even grandma and Nana are on it) and all my friends back in California. I haven't received an invitation to a party outside of Facebook in a couple years I think so for social events it is my primary source of information as well.

It's very easy to make lists for who you want to post what content to, and very easy to hide anybody who you find mundane but don't want to delete for whatever reason.

It's a communication tool and I appreciate it for what it is

[Mysturji]

I have 2 SpaceFace accounts.
I forgot the (disposable - I thought it might be a spam-magnet) email account/username and the password I used to sign up to it the first time (because my sister emailed me saying she had posted some pre-wedding photos).
Years later, she emailed me again saying there were some pre-adoption photos, so have a look. So I signed up AGAIN.
I tried searching for any kind WHATSOEVER of "customer support" to get my previous account either reinstated (what's my username? I could probably figure out the password) or deleted.
FaceSpace DO NOT HAVE ANY KIND of "customer support" WHATSOEVER.
I rarely login. When I do, I usually find a 3 month old poke, which I poke back at.
That's about it.
It's all random and trivial as far as I can tell.

[rachelbean]

Oh, also I block most "Apps" and anybody who sends them to me. That cuts out 99% of the unwanted noise

[Bella Fortuna]

You can get out of it what you want. I block ads and use Social Fixer to control aspects of FB to make it more pleasant for me, And then, I only friend people whom I enjoy interacting with, and use it overall for socialising, not arguing. FB is a terrible and frustrating place to discuss weighty matters, so I generally avoid doing so.

[Tero]

No. One woman I really don't know from a forum I was once active in defriended me. I forgot that some...many?...women have no sense of humor.

It's been very helpful for us to communicate with our 3 exchange students and their parents, when their kids were here. The first two parents barely knew how to use e mail, but they knew how to use Facebook.

[Animavore]

I like to lurk on Facebook under the pseudonym, Billy Bainbridge and stalk people for lulz. It never gets old

[Bella Fortuna]

I forgot that some...many?...women have no sense of humor.

I don't find that amusing.

[Tero]

It's the ones that turn into old ladies at 20. Anything that smells of disrespect for anything is ignored or remarked upon.

With men, it's the serious sport and gun nuts that have no sense of humor.

[Gallstones]

I link to people and entities with whom I share interests via Facebook. It enables interactions and information gathering that I could not otherwise have because I would likely not know these persons or entities existed. I also stay in casual contact with family who live in other states.

My friends list is very short.

[cronus]

Quit Facebook a year ago, over privacy fears etc, and found the web works fine without it. Not missed it.

[Audley Strange]

Thanks for the usual mixed bag of responses guys