Who are the Facebook holdouts and why?

[bernerbrau]

I use it for what other folks use the twitter for, since that's what most of my family uses. Mostly for me it's just a keeping in touch tool.

 

[shamrockdoc]

He's on it right now .....and he wants to be friends!

 

[JeffB]

I don't because my 'social media' is conducted face to face

 

[JeffB]

he's on it right now .....and he wants to be friends!

like

 

[chainsawbrewing]

He's on it right now .....and he wants to be friends!

hey! my page is private, you're not supposed to be able to see my pictures.

 

[JorgeIsKing]

I like how a majority of people who hate Facebook and Myspace are also the people who have never tried it, or only used it for a couple days.

 

[Clann]

IMHO if you feel the need to post stuff on those places to me its pure VANITY. Look at me!! Who cares if your dog jumped or your baby made a doody. Mind your own business.

 

[prosper]

I gave it an honest shot - I used it actively for about 18 months, posting status updates, pictures, and interacting with others' pages. The Event planning features are kind of nice, but ultimately I found that the people I cared to interact with were people I normally dealt with in real life anyway. That and all the damned 'noise' there - I don't give a flying f*** about your farmville farm, and I don't care about all those annoying survey results showing that you and Angelina would be a perfect match.

I also find that there are too many strangers and vague acquaintences that want to 'friend' you - people who you may have had a 15 second conversation about the weather, or friends of friends of friends who might have once attended the same social event as you. Or, worst still, co-workers (not that I have anything against my co-workers - I don't *dislike* then, and some are even genuine friends, but most are just a half-step above complete strangers)

Oh - and I will *NOT* friend your pet's facebook page, or your unborn or infant baby's. That's just stupid.

 

[wildwest450]

A lotta bashing on here by people who don't know much about facebook. I'm 41, I demand massive privacy, I don't care for people much, and I have an account.

All stupid apps, people comments and the like can be blocked. I ONLY friend out of state relatives(the ones I care about) and a few close friends, that's it. I could care less about other's feelings or the long line of friends request.

It only suck's if you don't know how to use it.

 

[shecky]

A lotta bashing on here by people who don't know much about facebook. I'm 41, I demand massive privacy, I don't care for people much, and I have an account.

All stupid apps, people comments and the like can be blocked. I ONLY friend out of state relatives(the ones I care about) and a few close friends, that's it. I could care less about other's feelings or the long line of friends request.

It only suck's if you don't know how to use it.

+1. Except I'm 42.

 

[the_bird]

A lotta bashing on here by people who don't know much about facebook. I'm 41, I demand massive privacy, I don't care for people much, and I have an account.

All stupid apps, people comments and the like can be blocked. I ONLY friend out of state relatives(the ones I care about) and a few close friends, that's it. I could care less about other's feelings or the long line of friends request.

It only suck's if you don't know how to use it.

It's pretty cool, actually, I've gotten to know a few cousins that I've only met IRL three or four times. It's also cool for quick, informal communications with friends locally ("anyone able to watch the kids for us Saturday night, we'll return the favor?"). I don't send out many friend requests, I don't try and track down every person that was in my seventh grade math class (the few people who I've friended from high school, I tend to talk to the least). Keep in touch with a few high school buddies that otherwise I'd probably talk to once every five years.

 

[jacob1484]

If you were to be a heartless dick and just allow people who are close and who you can trust, it might be OK.

This is pretty much me. And if anyone starts taking it too seriously or gets butt hurt over something I post I just unfriend and block them. I even blocked my mother.

 

[wildwest450]

It's pretty cool, actually, I've gotten to know a few cousins that I've only met IRL three or four times. It's also cool for quick, informal communications with friends locally ("anyone able to watch the kids for us Saturday night, we'll return the favor?"). I don't send out many friend requests, I don't try and track down every person that was in my seventh grade math class (the few people who I've friended from high school, I tend to talk to the least). Keep in touch with a few high school buddies that otherwise I'd probably talk to once every five years.

Exactly, it's like everything else in life, it's only irritating if you let it be.

 

[Pappers_]

It's pretty cool, actually, I've gotten to know a few cousins that I've only met IRL three or four times. It's also cool for quick, informal communications with friends locally ("anyone able to watch the kids for us Saturday night, we'll return the favor?"). I don't send out many friend requests, I don't try and track down every person that was in my seventh grade math class (the few people who I've friended from high school, I tend to talk to the least). Keep in touch with a few high school buddies that otherwise I'd probably talk to once every five years.

Exactly - that's how I use it and its been great.

 

[jmo88]

I'd say out of all my male friends, only a few have facebook accounts. All of their wives do though. I'm the same way. Unlike my wife, Facebook just doesn't interest me. I'm not really holding out, I'd just never use it. I'd much rather spend my time on here talking about beer with complete strangers though.

 

[cheezydemon3]

It would actually be OK if it didn't suck away hours of SWMBO's life on meaningless irritating BS.

 

[david_42]

I was on it for a month or so. Got really tired of the utterly useless drivel people posted. For the most part, reasonable intelligent people who thought that I might care that they are going to the store, etc. Hundreds of junk posts per interesting one. Waste of time digging through the junk.

LinkedIn is a bit better, but I don't check that more than once a month.

 

[Bruscar]

Plus, it sucks more time out of your life than the Boneyard!

 

[sacrifice]

I opened a facebook account a few years ago so I could see some pictures someone posted that I knew. However, I have never posted to facebook or myspace, and I doubt that I ever will. If people need to know what I am doing they can call me - though I rarely answer my phone.

 

[Bobby_M]

Snubbing social media is the new pseudo-virtuous "I don't even own a TV". Think about how much cooler it would be to cancel the internet service altogether.

 

[Bruscar]

Snubbing social media is the new pseudo-virtuous "I don't even own a TV". Think about how much cooler it would be to cancel the internet service altogether.

Maybe I'm PUI (It is Thanksgiving, after all!) but your response elevates FB's "Necessity quotient" higher than I do. I communicate by talk, email, etc. all day without the help of FB. I can see it's aid in reaching out via the web to those outside of your normal circles, school chums, family, ex-colleauges, etc. long lost if that was your goal. SWMBO (a trend I'm noticing in this thread) uses it to see the latest pix of our grandson which is fine. I have no quarrel with those who use it as a door to other areas of their life. My beef life lies with those who LIVE on the bloody site! If you're that diserous of talking to them, call!....or text

 

[Bobby_M]

No, no, don't get me wrong. I don't think of facebook or any one particular social media outlet as this decade's gift to the masses by any means. It's a tool, a portion of the overall internet offering to stay connected. I get that some people don't like it and don't see the value, but I don't see anything cool about overtly trashing people who like it.

 

[TANSTAAFB]

No, no, don't get me wrong. I don't think of facebook or any one particular social media outlet as this decade's gift to the masses by any means. It's a tool, a portion of the overall internet offering to stay connected. I get that some people don't like it and don't see the value, but I don't see anything cool about overtly trashing people who like it.

Bobby,
I didn't start this thread to trash FBers, I truly wanted to know who was opting out as I am and why. I think it can be truly useful for staying in touch with friends and family and is almost a vital component of a modern business approach. I just think people take it way too far, get way too absorbed, and I don't feel like the security protocols are strong enough.

For example, if I post a pic on my page, even with the strongest privacy settings, a friend can copy that pic and post it elsewhere that is not as secure. You lose control of what you post. And if you read my earlier posts, my objection has more to do with the fact that I work as a professional in the mental health field. Soon I will have a license to protect and even things I do now can negatively affect my future in the field. Even crap other people post about me can affect me. I just don't think too many people realize the damage they can do to their futures by posting dumb sh!t online.

 

[Airborneguy]

For example, if I post a pic on my page, even with the strongest privacy settings, a friend can copy that pic and post it elsewhere that is not as secure.

That is a function of friend choice, not the fault of Facebook. You can go to a party and find yourself in a picture that ends up on many other types of electronic media without your permission. Again, a function of who you choose to associate with.

I've been an active participant on Facebook since going back to college 2 years ago and realizing that it would help me contact people in my classes for homework, assignments, etc. It turned into a way to stay in touch with my too-big Italian family...

Facebook is great for what it provides, it's how you choose to use it that makes the difference.

Honestly, this site is no different. A few members have put up far worse pictures on this site than Facebook would ever allow...

 

[Bru]

I don't have an account. I prefer to be in stealth mode but mainly I couldn't be bothered.
A freind of mine got a new GF. Every day he posted a dear diary account of the day :"Im even more in love today than yesterday...." etc. Yes, EVERY day. I can puke just thinking about it.
What suprised me more than him doing this was that he was arrogant enought to beleive anyone wanted to read it.

 

[Bruscar]

...was that he was arrogant enought to believe anyone wanted to read it.

*coughTwittercough*

 

[Kungpaodog]

I can call my friends, or, God forbid, SEE them in real life. I don't have time for Farmville or poking strangers online. But above all: NEVER NEVER NEVER document anything that may get you in trouble. Case in point:

A college professor wanted to know what the deal is with Facebook and signed up. He then came back to the class and had to explain to them that as adults they probably shouldn't have pictures of themselves nude, near nude, or snorting anything on their publicly visible photos.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

Irony is...

...scoffing social networking sites via an internet discussion forum.

 

[JorgeIsKing]

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is the use of social networking sites as a source for news and information.

Twitter is especially good for getting information before it's reported anywhere else. A great example is sports news. Most analysts and reporters will post quick updates to their twitter before taking the time to write a full article.

Facebook is pretty good as well for getting additional information about a company. Things like pictures, announcements, and even sometimes videos will usually be on a company's Facebook page. A lot of times these won't be on the official web page. The thread about Boston Beer Company responding directly to a question asked with a video is a good example of this.

 

[sparkyaber]

IMHO if you feel the need to post stuff on those places to me its pure VANITY. Look at me!! Who cares if your dog jumped or your baby made a doody. Mind your own business.

I don't because my 'social media' is conducted face to face

I agree with you two whole heartedly. We are spread way to thin these days, and spend less time with those closest to us. If it is important to me, I will find out some how email, phone call, HBT.

My wife has a facetube account, and she has told me some of the stuff that has been posted on there. Seems to me lots of mindless dribble, very little substance, kinda like my post
Maybe it comes down to the type of person you are- I prefer to have a few close friends, while others may prefer to have many not so close friends???
Just spit ballin' here.