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the problem with facebook

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MLE (Emily Cotton)
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 3566
Joined: August 2008
Interest in HF: started in childhood with the classics, which, IMHO are HF even if they were contemporary when written.
Favourite HF book: Prince of Foxes, by Samuel Shellabarger
Preferred HF: Currently prefer 1600 and earlier, but I'll read anything that keeps me turning the page.
Location: California Bay Area

the problem with facebook

Post by MLE (Emily Cotton) » Mon February 3rd, 2014, 8:35 am

This is interesting.
Facebook filters out things according to their criteria--not necessarily yours. Unless the user pays.
One of the reasons I prefer forums as social media exchanges. The user actively chooses what to see, instead of having it chosen for them.

What do you think?

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Madeleine
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Posts: 5859
Joined: August 2008
Currently reading: "The Whitstable Pearl Mystery" by Julie Wassmer
Preferred HF: Plantagenets, Victorian, crime, dual time-frame
Location: Essex/London

Post by Madeleine » Mon February 3rd, 2014, 10:31 am

I totally agree with you, MLE - I know this is an open forum too, but it's pretty much what you see is what you get - I'd much rather "chat" on here than Facebook. And I think much less damage/interference can be done on a forum like this, than on Facebook where pretty much anything seems to go - even if you pay, do you really get that much more protection?
Currently reading "The Whitstable Pearl Mystery" by Julie Wassmer

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fljustice
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Location: Brooklyn, NY
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Post by fljustice » Mon February 3rd, 2014, 4:06 pm

Thanks for the share, MLE. Some astute analysis in that video. I've never been a fan of FB. I'll go days without checking it or posting. I only joined so I could cyber-stalk my daughter while she was at college. She's home now, so I know more than I want to! (And she's switched her online activity to Tumblr, as have many young people--FB is rapidly becoming the online social setting for the older.) It's nice to see what some other of my family and friends are up to, but I rarely browse their timelines, just wait for stuff to pop up on my newsfeed. I post so seldom (mostly stuff about my writing or sharing others' promotional posts) that it's probably not a good business venue for me. Much better to spend my time writing the next book, than promoting the current one on FB! Like you, I much prefer these specialized forums for making contacts, networking, and hanging out with like minds!
Faith L. Justice, Author Website
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Divia
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Location: Always Cloudy, Central New York

Post by Divia » Mon February 3rd, 2014, 11:05 pm

Huh. Now this makes sense. Sometimes my co workers are like I dont see anything you post. And I say the same to them. Now I know why. Not enough people are clicking on it or I'm not active enough on their page. Interesting indeed.
News, views, and reviews on books and graphic novels for young adult.
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DianeL
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Post by DianeL » Tue February 4th, 2014, 12:31 am

I've spent too much of my career in and around IT to put up with FB whatsoever. FB is the single most frightening thing on the net, and creeps me out more than the NSA or even those offers from companies wanting to pay you or give "free" product for you to provide your personal information, which is so precious I cannot fathom how easily people trade in it without thinking.

Even before this restricting algorithm, there is nothing I've ever seen in FB that remotely makes it worth the personal exposure. It's not entertaining, it doesn't really do a lot to cultivate personal relationships - maybe I'd just rather write, or actually communicate, but I never have seen the slightest reason to belong to FB - and I did belong for a time (very unfortunately - I've had to deactivate my years-since deactivated account time after time since fleeing the site completely).
"To be the queen, she agreed to be the widow!"

***

The pre-modern world was willing to attribute charisma to women well before it was willing to attribute sustained rationality to them.
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MLE (Emily Cotton)
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 3566
Joined: August 2008
Interest in HF: started in childhood with the classics, which, IMHO are HF even if they were contemporary when written.
Favourite HF book: Prince of Foxes, by Samuel Shellabarger
Preferred HF: Currently prefer 1600 and earlier, but I'll read anything that keeps me turning the page.
Location: California Bay Area

Post by MLE (Emily Cotton) » Tue February 4th, 2014, 2:36 am

Well, I do use facebook, but it is surely a cantankerous horse to ride. It has been useful for keeping in touch with family members and seeing what they are up to, and in a very limited way I use it rather like a blog to convince possible future readers that I am worth their time.

I mostly perform the function of 'DJ' -- filtering through the content of my very diverse group of friends for things that are interesting and/or funny, and occasionally telling a short personal clip that fits the same criteria.

For the rest, I keep my page 'groomed' -- screening out time-wasters, games, ads, and objectionable people (like my whiny niece, whose page I visit one a season for a quick update, but whose daily posts are better forgotten.)

It's a tool. But I doubt it will be an influencer in a decade or so (remember myspace?). Too many other options, and while facebook gets more and more annoying, other venues get better.

User avatar
MLE (Emily Cotton)
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 3566
Joined: August 2008
Interest in HF: started in childhood with the classics, which, IMHO are HF even if they were contemporary when written.
Favourite HF book: Prince of Foxes, by Samuel Shellabarger
Preferred HF: Currently prefer 1600 and earlier, but I'll read anything that keeps me turning the page.
Location: California Bay Area

Post by MLE (Emily Cotton) » Tue February 4th, 2014, 2:39 am

Somebody just sent me this TED talk on facebook. February 2011.

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Madeleine
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 5859
Joined: August 2008
Currently reading: "The Whitstable Pearl Mystery" by Julie Wassmer
Preferred HF: Plantagenets, Victorian, crime, dual time-frame
Location: Essex/London

Post by Madeleine » Tue February 4th, 2014, 2:30 pm

I look occasionally to keep up with a few people I rarely see, but what always strikes me is the sheer inanity, and amound of pointless gloop, that is on there. I don't really care if someone's just had a glass of wine/haircut/been to the dentist or posted dozens of pics of a birthday party (and that's before the guests arrived).
Currently reading "The Whitstable Pearl Mystery" by Julie Wassmer

John Sliz
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Location: Toronto
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Post by John Sliz » Wed February 12th, 2014, 9:46 pm

What kills me is that FB will advertise a page and charge you by how many likes the page gets. I am looking at some pages differently now.

Helen_Davis

Post by Helen_Davis » Fri March 21st, 2014, 2:15 am

I gave up FB for Lent, I don't miss it...

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