[Closed] Does anyone else find facebook to be Satans social experiment.

[i]Now I realise my handful of mates that I go to the pub, ride with and are actually talk to face to face mean more.[/i]

Surely you knew that already though.

Of course and its weird when they start to use facbook to ask you to the pub.

I'm a member, but God knows why. Big waste of time, and if I get one more e-mail telling me I've been 'super poked' by some idiot from the HR department at work, I'll foul myself.

I have no problems with facebook. Apart from being bombarded with pointless "apps" that I've mostly blocked, I use it to communicate with those I can't physically get to anymore and to observe the other people in my life that I left behind (probably for a good reason) and feel happy that I did.

I plan rides by facebook. I plan pub visits. I comment on the news etc. Then I switch it off and forget it exists.

The temptation to trace / look for people you haven't seen for years for personal reasons is great, which can lead to problems if you can't emotionally cope with it.

I stumbled across a picture of my son whom I haven't seen for 10 years, quite a shock at the time.

The only 'friends' I have on facebook are from the cycling community. I like to keep the personal side of my life just that.

I'm a member, but God knows why. Big waste of time, and if I get one more e-mail telling me I've been 'super poked' by some idiot from the HR department at work, I'll foul myself.

Why did you add the HR department idiot as a friend?

ditto coffeeking. its also almost indispensable at uni...

I've deleted my account. While it was initially interesting and entertaining to search for old friends and I quite enjoyed the first few 'pokes'; but when people who I'd never heard of suddenly decided that they 'owned' (pwned??) me, I gave up (and none of them had Bombers, ha!). It's all just a bit puerile

It's not Facebook that's the problem it's the way that a whole load of inane idiots use it. If you want to have 568 friends and 5401 photographs documenting every minute of your past eight nights out then so be it. If you want to waste your time playing ridiculous games or keeping the whole world up-to-speed with your vacuous thoughts then so be it. That's not for me and, I guess, not for the people who've posted here so far.

But for sharing post-ride photographs it's great--it's not the only way you can do that, I know, but it does the job.

I don't see what everyone whinges about - once you have blocked the silly apps and deleted the people you should never have added, it's a great way of keeping in touch with friends - seeing their photos and sharing yours, arranging trips etc.

If you dislike it then don't use it. 😕

But for sharing post-ride photographs it's great--it's not the only way you can do that, I know, but it does the job.

Sure--like I said, it's not the [u]only[/u] way you can share photographs but...

I have found flickr great for this!

Yes, but it doesnt really offer the same social side of things, the sense of groupiness. Its just an online gallery with comments, whereas facebook allows much more discussion and tells everyone you've uploaded stuff and they're tagged in images.

freddyg - Member

I've deleted my account. While it was initially interesting and entertaining to search for old friends and I quite enjoyed the first few 'pokes'; but when people who I'd never heard of suddenly decided that they 'owned' (pwned??) me, I gave up (and none of them had Bombers, ha!). It's all just a bit puerile

You have to have install/enabled the "Owned" app yourself, so are just as guilty.

It a total waste of bandwidth - IHMO of course 😉

But I'm 50 so WTF do I know about having virtual friends? 🙂

Bravo Grumm 😀

Yes, but it doesnt really offer the same social side of things, the sense of groupiness. Its just an online gallery with comments, whereas facebook allows much more discussion and tells everyone you've uploaded stuff and they're tagged in images.

I agree with Grumm.

I no longer live in the UK so it's a great way of keeping touch with friends and family.

An old friend I hadn't seen in years got in touch via FB a few weeks back and then came to visit for the weekend and we got smashed and had an absolute blast!

Just block the apps and it's all good.

I would love to see my Nans status updates though that would be great!

http://www.straightfrommybrain.com/pages/right/pensionbook.html

Once you get over the fact that it's a big marketing scam, and they claim to own everything you post on it, it's quite a useful site, as it combines the functions of lots of other ones. I was a bit miffed when I used it to organise a party and my house wasn't trashed by several hundred exciteable teenagers, but hey ho...

Coffeeking I fear you have missed most of Flickrs interactivity. If you want notifications of others new photos view your contacts photos page.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/friends/

If you want groups, then try the singletrack group for likeminded STWers.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/singletrackworld/

Tagging isn't there yet, but notes are and you can add people this way if you wish to link, but admittedly it's not quite the same.

I love it thats brilliant, exactly what I imagined, 🙂

Surfr - I know they're there, they're just not executed as well and it's not aimed at communication, it's aimed at photography.

good explanation of facebook here

Coffeking:

You have to have install/enabled the "Owned" app yourself, so are just as guilty.

Actually, I think it was the superwall or some-such. We didn't specifically (or knowingly) install the "Owned" app. By the way - this also happened to MrsG and to three of her friends too - all unknowingly. Mind you, they (we) are all in our 40's so maybe this newfangled technology speak has passed us by 😆

Have to agree with this post really, it was fun at first but now utterly boring. Winds me up too when people tag you on pictures without asking... weddings etc. Have been considering deleting my account, though does anyone know what happens to all your stuff (pics, tags etc)?

Facebook's been great for getting back in touch with peeps I haven't seen since school,(1987ish) and other old friends I lost touch with.

I can't be doing with the stupid applications or posting what I'm up to every 2 seconds, but as a way of contacting friends it's well worth being on there.

freddyg - I think you may have been socially-engineered in like I did, I can't remember the mechanism that app used to catch people, but it can only ever send invites unless you make the mistake of clicking through.

TNH - why does it bother you when people tag you? Genuinely curious. Presumably you were at the event, and are not embarrassed by your dress/actions/presence there?

But I'm 50 so WTF do I know about having virtual friends?

Oi! less of the ageism!

I use it most days to have a quick chat with someone or look at their new photos, so it's useful so long as you remember not to be needlessly indiscreet. I don't really see it as an issue, just don't use it if you don't like it!

it's like asking whether a horse is good. yes if you're galloping across a beach, no if its stamping on your head

its whatever you make of it.

i have proper friends all over the world who I have met and know personally and its a handy way of staying in touch.

i use it a lot for business also. most of the applications are in my view utter shite, but if someone wants to know what kind of alien they are, let them do it.

sad socially inept tossers will be sad socially inept tossers whether they're in the pub or online.

I had a cull of friends recently, getting rid of anyone I didn't like or didn't know and there were only 5 i killed.

Winds me up too when people tag you on pictures without asking

since when was permission required ?

Why does everyone pull a stupid facebook-esque facial expression on their profile picture which bears no relation to their real appearance.

****in pouting pricks the lot of'em 😛

What's a facebook-esque facial expression?!

sad socially inept tossers will be sad socially inept tossers whether they're in the pub or online.

That really hurt my feelings 😥

Why does everyone pull a stupid facebook-esque facial expression on their profile picture

maybe you should move along to the accountants section of linkedin then?

What's a facebook-esque facial expression?!

Face at 45 degree angle, looking slightly up into the air, pouting their lips.

I'll have to try this facebook esque expression, it might remove my double chin and make my eyes look wider... 🙂

I just think it's polite to ask first before you get tagged, that's all. Plus, I don't like the concept of a 'free for all' on your image...

I'll have to try this facebook esque expression, it might remove my double chin and make my eyes look wider...

Only until people meet you in person at which point they'll be really disappointed, I speak from bitter experience after my Thai bride landed at Heathrow. 😡

I just think it's polite to ask first before you get tagged, that's all.

life is too short...

Plus, I don't like the concept of a 'free for all' on your image

that's up to the photographer

I just think it's polite to ask first before you get tagged, that's all. Plus, I don't like the concept of a 'free for all' on your image...

Why? Tagging is just saying you're in the photo. Everyone who sees it and knows you knows that already, it just alerts you to it and quickly identifies you to others who dont know you so well that that is your name?

Free for all on your images, you mean people stealing it? Or people being able to get photos of you without asking?

Do you also get upset about CCTV?

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I like having lots (well a few) virtual friends. Means I can sit at home with a cider believing I have a "social" life rather than sitting in the pub drinking my cider on my own 😉

Means I can sit at home with a cider believing I have a "social" life

doesn't drinking alone always mean alcoholism ?

Doesn't non-drinker always translate as boring old tossbag? 🙂

I'm shite at at keeping in touch with people, FB just makes it easier. It also allows me to upload pics of me looking stupid so my 'freinds' can all have a good laugh at my expense.

After the inital on there every hour, I hardly ever pop in anymore.

if you dont want to be tagged in a picture, you can untag yourself. 🙂

How can something non-compulsory cause so much vitriol?

If you dont like it just [s]f[i]u[/i]ck[/s] Log off

Doesn't non-drinker always translate as boring old tossbag?

only to drinkers :o)
I only ever drink to be sociable

doesn't drinking alone always mean alcoholism ?

I only ever drink to be sociable

Are you often sociable or do you just have a metabolism more often seen in certain species of desert mouse?

or do you just have a metabolism more often seen in certain species of desert mouse?

OK, "drink [b]alcohol[/b]" 🙂

s-gerbil-b

[i]I only ever drink to be sociable [/i]

I realised I was doing this as well. Then I realised I was just drinking to make the people I was with more acceptable. They were almost certainly doing the same.

Now I just drink alone.

Now I just drink alone.

that's a sad story, now I'm crying 🙁

@realised I was doing this as well. Then I realised I was just drinking to make the people I was with more acceptable. They were almost certainly doing the same.@

It really gets my goat how people today always bang on about drinking like its some sort of evil nazi behaviour. excessive drinking is bad, as is excessive drugs etc etc.modeation and self control count for a lot.just cos i drink a beer, dont label be as having no self control and those who are tea total are the only ones in control!
most people in and aroud us have elements that can annoy us ,worry us or bug us.we can also all feel shy, intimidated, self concious from time to time. so whats so bad with abunch of people kicking back, relaxing all forgetting there trobles and other peoples and having a good time?
lifes hard we all deserve to relax now and again and i dont see my way as a crime...

anyway face book.... i like it but it worries me.sems too open to people finding pics they couldnt/shouldnt in the traditional way, eg coming round your house etc.also i belive all the main security restrictions are switched off to start with and you have to put them on.shouldnt it be the other way round?

also if you delete your profile, try reinstating it again later.everything pops back just as it was before deletion...

we can also all feel shy, intimidated, self concious from time to time. so whats so bad with abunch of people kicking back, relaxing all forgetting there trobles and other peoples and having a good time?

nothing, but there's no need for drugs to achieve that

Your friends are crap if you need drugs of any sort to achieve a good time. However a good beer with friends you can be sober with is usually more fun!

have only read the original post question.have never been on face book,and have no plans to.

I think its great.

I went through a phase of adding way to many people, then cut it back to 50 or so people i am actually properly friends with, some of which are in different parts of the country. Great quick way of keeping in touch.

If you've added too many frieds or apps or get annoyed with emails from facebook, thats you're own fault because its very easy to stop all that stuff.

Used facebook when local riding club didn't have a website for a while.

After that I closed my account years ago.

Glad I did and who has time to sit all day blogging etc.

Time is Money!

Being tagged could cause problems with potential employers, first place HR look for information on new recruits.

"Your friends are crap if you need drugs of any sort to achieve a good time. However a good beer with friends you can be sober with is usually more fun! "

just to clarify i was only talking about beer, not drugs
although alcohol is a drug technically so your comment is sort of contradictory really.

although alcohol is a drug technically

that was my intended meaning - I can't think why else anyone would drink the foul stuff

It's good, I can talk to my mates down south whist being in Glasgow and organise things for free. Instead of using the phone. Just ignore all the funny invites and you're ok.

Facebook has its moment but there are some pople who need to think about what they're doing on there:

One of my "friends" has been bad mouthing his place of work by name
another "friend" had a picture of herself at a fancy dress party (in the theme of Rock) looking like she was snorting cocaine (fake, but if you didn't know her, a fairly convincing photo)

My favourite though is the two who are on honeymoon and are updating facebook daily

Facebook seems to be sucking the life out of people, like all these social networking sites, it's a pi$$ing competition to see how many friends you can get even if you don't really know the people

You can all be my friend 😈