Facebook - Why Can't I get the hang of it?

[lobeydosser]

I have never tried any of these things.

I much prefer the older types of communications, like 2 empty tins and a bit of string!!!!!

[enjay]

FB is great, the app can be a bit annoying because they like to update it if it's already working well, anything you need to figure out just google it. Vape groups are great, on loads of them, you always get the idiots but I just ignore them. Get loads of other useful info though and comps.

Just takes a little bit of getting used to, I've only had internet for maybe 7 years or so too lol

[thatguy]

faceache exists only to waste 10 mins playing games. Electronic communication has a lot to answer for. Textspeak, smilies, "friends"most of whom you don't know from Adam, or haven't spoke to in years, hashtags(think someone got OCD about labeling their weed) and more. This effectively dumbs down the population in respect of communication skills such as spelling and grammar and corrupts the nature of peoples relationships by making them believe that some guy they seen in passing at the chip shop is a friend. OK, this mainly affects kids, but this will cause huge issues in the future. On top of this, almost everyone who posts to this kinda site ends up posting or being tagged in something embarrassing that may result in lost friends or jobs. A picture of that drunken night out ain't gonna impress your boss or a potential employer.

Get kids off faceache, teach them how to write a letter, or to hold a conversation, and for gods sake, remind them of the primary function of a phone....making a call and talking to someone.

[drunkenbum]

Facebook can be irritating but without it me Mrs drunkenbun wouldn't be together. We went to school together and lost touch for 12 years until we got in touch again through facebook.

[charon]

Chrissie
To be honest, SWMBO is a big fan...online scrabble and various games, doggy friends etc.
Myself, if I wish to talk to friends etc, phone or skype( for those over seas) is all I feel I need.

As for photos etc, " cloud " is perfectly adequate.

[gill2009]

Loathe & detest FB with a vengence...my kids think I'm a dinosaur...tough s**t...just saying 

[tomj777]

I've mixed feelings about Facebook.
I go through stages where I'm very active and others (including the last few months) when I hardly touch it.
For me it's purpose is to answer the question: "I wonder how... is doing these days" and private messaging (no better way for them to really target ads, I guess).

The main problem I find is that the algorithms it uses to determine which of your contacts you wish to see... This leads to the majority of your friends being sidelined, which means in turn you don't interact (comment / like) and thus appear to be ignoring...

The way around that was to utilise Lists (so I had a UK work list, close colleagues list, Indian work list, Malaysian work list, Slova.... and other lists dived by near location, interest groups, family, close friends...) - Allowing for some logical fallacies to creep into my thinking, Facebook appear to have become wise to these techniques and an increasing number of users are becoming used to seeing "no more posts to show" when trying to utilise the lists....

Regarding algorithms, there is fun to be had by tailoring the adverts you see on the internet (including Facebook) - currently Google, Facebook and Amazon's ad networks are bombarding me with adverts for steel girders and baby nourishment products in favour of things which might tempt me.... This only requires a few minutes a day to set up.

And regarding adverts... if you found a company particularly distasteful (say Nestle), make sure you click through their adverts and encourage friends to do the same... It may only cost them fractions of pence but, you know, it all mounts up

One thing that does surprise me, however, is that I don't recall the last time outside of this forum where I was subjected to a vape related advert.

<edit

I occasionally get suckered into time sucking games that appeal to my addictive personality - currently the accursed Criminal Case (do not start these)
... and there's a link to my Words With Friends profile from my facebook identity - I'm easier to find in that game as tomj777 if anyone fancies a game.

edit ends>

[OliverB]

I've had a FB account for a number of years. I have eighteen friends - I have no idea who four of them are, another four are now dead and their profiles hang around as grim reminders of mortality, and two of the remaining ten are me.

[Clivia]

I really like fb

generally when you upload a picture it goes on the time line - but you can then hide it from the time line

I think fb is fun and an easy way to keep in touch

[Pepperty]

I'm glad facebook exists, if only to have my far flung relatives and old school pals available to me. I feel connected by being able to see how their lives are developing and keep in touch, if only to comment about their kids/grandkids/pets! Many of whom I havent seen in person for over a decade but I like to be able to be a very small part of their lives.

There's lots of people I know locally but we don't get together nowadays but we are still quite friendly and its good to share. I'm not wildly active in my own timeline but I do try to interact with others in a social way - there's a little more depth to FB than the likes of twitter

With local pals and those I contact regularly I use facebook messenger as a free chat facility and can swap photos and info far easily in live time. Then there's the ability to nose about at random acquaintances (you don't wish 'to friend') but you wonder what they are up to

I've started taking advantage of the FB groups facility and have joined those that interest me, vaping yes, but also a few local history groups and enjoy seeing old photos posted by members. There is actually something for everyone if you look around.

[Deleted]

I am not a huge user of Facebook, maybe once or twice a week at most, and sometimes once a month, but I understand why people love it so much. I prefer forums such as these to Facebook.

There is a saying in tech that states "If you are not paying for it, you're not the customer; you're the product being sold". Facebook are an advertising and data-mining company. They do things with data that would make you blood run cold. Amex used to say that they could tell when a customer was having an affair before the partner did. That is nothing compared to the algorithms Facebook uses. Not only your posts, groups you join, the pictures you post and your chats, but also the the classifications of friends you have, and your web browsing history, plus social sign-ins (when you use you Facebook account to sigh in elsewhere). The know a lot about you, and will infer a lot about you. They then sell that data (currently at the mass level) to advertisers.