Facebook: is it a good or a bad thing?

[Halo Stickman]

This morning I listened to a radio discussion about Facebook – lots of pros and cons apparently. These ranged from a stroke victim who said it was her only form of communication and had saved her life, to others who blamed it for their marriage breakup – partners meeting up with old flames etc.

 

Not on Facebook myself, but occasionally wonder whether I should be. Not that I want to meet up with old flames, you understand ; but I wouldn’t mind finding out what they look like – sorry, I mean, what they’re doing – these days.

 

Facebook – essential requirement, or just a big time waster?

[hypochondriac]

I have an account but other than to reply to people who may message me once a month, I haven't been on it in about a year. Complete waste of time but in my experience most women find it fascinating. I expect it's the equivalent of saintsweb for them .

[farawaysaint]

This morning I listened to a radio discussion about Facebook – lots of pros and cons apparently. These ranged from a stroke victim who said it was her only form of communication and had saved her life, to others who blamed it for their marriage breakup – partners meeting up with old flames etc.

 

Not on Facebook myself, but occasionally wonder whether I should be. Not that I want to meet up with old flames, you understand ; but I wouldn’t mind finding out what they look like – sorry, I mean, what they’re doing – these days.

 

Facebook – essential requirement, or just a big time waster?

 

I loathe it, but it has its uses.

[Channon's Windmill]

Good for using messenger to stay in touch, but the 'news feed' is utter ****e. I guess it depends who u are friends with but mine is just full of people sharing and liking complete tosh. Mostly women. No one seems to use it to update on anything interesting thats going on anymore.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[pap]

Facebook is fine for friends and family, but that's where I draw the line these days. I used to have lots of work mates on there too, but it's not a good idea. One of my more colourful mates decided to spout a load of sh!te on my feed, and I was torn between censoring my mate (which I didn't want to do) or ditching all my work colleagues, the option I eventually took. That happened at around the same time as apps were really starting to integrate with Facebook, so it was a good time to make the call.

 

It's facilitated some really good nights out, kept our year together in a way that FriendsReunited never did, and depending on the level of contribution, gives you some insight into what people are doing with themselves.

 

On the negative side, you do have a lot of your preconceptions about some of your friends shattered a bit

[KelvinsRightGlove]

From a purely selfish point of view, I wouldn't be working for the company I do now if it wasn't for their success on Facebook (although the company has moved on since).

 

So for that reason, it's a good thing.

[skintsaint]

I use it to keep in contact with family and friends in the UK mainly. Pretty handy.

[Glasgow_Saint]

I use it to keep in contact with family and friends in the UK mainly. Pretty handy.

 

Same - once you move away from your home town... good way to keep in touch

[KelvinsRightGlove]

Facebook is fine for friends and family, but that's where I draw the line these days. I used to have lots of work mates on there too, but it's not a good idea. One of my more colourful mates decided to spout a load of sh!te on my feed, and I was torn between censoring my mate (which I didn't want to do) or ditching all my work colleagues, the option I eventually took. That happened at around the same time as apps were really starting to integrate with Facebook, so it was a good time to make the call.

 

It's facilitated some really good nights out, kept our year together in a way that FriendsReunited never did, and depending on the level of contribution, gives you some insight into what people are doing with themselves.

 

On the negative side, you do have a lot of your preconceptions about some of your friends shattered a bit

 

With our company being spread across lots of offices across the globe, we have various closed facebook groups as forums to communicate and share interesting things we see (obviously we don't share sensitive info, that would be silly).

 

The problem is, to access these, I had to have people as friends. So, I have my boss, my boss' boss and various other high level people in the company as friends on facebook.

 

That would be fine, if FB would let me put them on lockdown so they only see a very timid view of what actually goes on in my facebook life, but unfortunately FB changes it's settings every 5 minutes. So, yes, our CMO, COO & Head Lawyer often see my various rantings, drunken brainfarts or just general idiocy in technicolour glory.

 

Luckily they are all pretty sound, and I'm good enough at my job for this to not be a problem. I do have to try and actively censor myself on occasion, or quickly un-tag/delete incriminating pictures or posts.

[Spudders]

It's a great tool for grooming young people

[scotty]

Personally can't see much point in it. That said, my mrs goes on there to converse with her nieces and nephews, who apparently are unable to communicate by any other method.

 

I did consider joining twitter, which makes more sense to me. Then I discovered that stephen fry is its number one fan, so decided to pass after all.

[norwaysaint]

I use it to stay in touch with friends I've moved away from, to share photos with my family, but the trickiest thing has been that lots of the kids I used to teach added me. It's nice to know what they are doing now, but I try to secretly delete them after a bit, because having anyone under the age of 20 on your facebook feed is awful, mind you one of them is currently playing in the PL for a rival team and another plays for Notts County, wouldn't have known if they hadn't added me.

[Hatch]

I'm a really nosey bastard so I like it.

 

Though Tinder is my most recent weapon of choice ;-)

[ben05]

Its brilliant. The only possible downside is how, some people, use it. Its great for organising events, keeping in touch with friends. It will be interesting to see if anything will "Trump" it and if it ever becomes unpopular. Interesting article on the BBC today http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25953225

[Lord Duckhunter]

I have traced many mates I worked with and used to play football with through it. Met up with a scouser I hadn't seen for 23 years at anfield game last season through it. Don't add mates I see regularly or work people and also avoid ex chicks or totty I used to fancy. As a tool for keeping in touch with people abroad or living away its great.

[bridge too far]

I've got loads of friends who live abroad so it's a cheap and cheerful way of keeping in touch / swapping photos of grandchildren etc.

 

It's quite good for political indoctrination of others too, I find

[pap]

Has anyone seen their own Facebook movie yet? Actually a sh!tload cooler than I thought.

[View From The Top]

It's a great tool for keeping in touch with folk spread far and wide and it's certainly been brilliant for getting in contact with ex-shipmates.

[pap]

It's a great tool for keeping in touch with folk spread far and wide and it's certainly been brilliant for getting in contact with ex-shipmates.

 

Matelots are always quite amusing

[warsash saint]

Got p*ssed off with the news feed just full of Candy Crush updates & high scores...... closed it over a year ago & have not missed it.

[Saint_clark]

Its brilliant. The only possible downside is how, some people, use it. Its great for organising events, keeping in touch with friends. It will be interesting to see if anything will "Trump" it and if it ever becomes unpopular. Interesting article on the BBC today http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25953225

 

I can't see it ever going out of use. Mobile apps are overtaking it for usage, instagram, twitter and messaging apps, but facebook has all of those combined in one. Google+ are trying their hardest to overtake them, wouldn't even surprise me if they were the ones releasing all this statistical info about facebook being on it's way down and out.

[lifeintheslowlane]

It's a good hobby tool...building a network of people with in depth knowledge of your subject is great. Expands your horizons to interact with intelligent people but you have to keep a hold of it and limit who can share your information.

 

If you want more control in what you see and what others see this is a useful add-on. Bonus is that Facebook hates this.

 

Edited 5 February, 2014 by lifeintheslowlane
Added more info

[KelvinsRightGlove]

Got p*ssed off with the news feed just full of Candy Crush updates & high scores...... closed it over a year ago & have not missed it.

 

[Minty]

It's a tool. Whether it is 'good ' or 'bad' is down to how you use it, who else uses it that you are friends with, how they use it, etc, etc. Just like this forum, Twitter, Myspace, LinkedIn and pretty every other social media tool down the ages.

 

I enjoy using it for keeping in touch and communicating with those who aren't nearby. What can be a problem is when people make assumptions that just because they've sent a message to you on Facebook, that you must've read it within 5 minutes of it being sent... not everyone looks at their phone every 5 minutes. If you need me, phone me. Other than that, a FB message, a tweet, a text message... I'll deal with them when I can.

 

Problems with all of these things tend to come from other peoples expectations and assumptions, and highlights peoples insecurities. Worst example of this is the whole 'you defriended me, you must hate me, waaah, blah, blah, blah'. No, I don't hate you, actually I might quite like you, but I see no value in having you on my Facebook because we met once and are never likely to meet again, or need to communicate particularly, although if we do, I know where to find you and can send you a message. So enjoy your life, and stop pretending that being my Facebook in some way validates your existence and that you need me to feel good about yourself.

[Minsk]

I use it to keep in contact with family and friends in the UK mainly. Pretty handy.

 

This

 

It's a great tool for keeping in touch with folk spread far and wide and it's certainly been brilliant for getting in contact with ex-shipmates.

 

And this

 

My next trip over to the UK is for an RN reunion, where I will be meeting up with dozens of old shipmates many of whom I haven't seen for a couple of decades, all organised on FB.

[CB Saint]

I think there is an issue in how the kids use social media. Aside from the obvious dangers, the biggest issue I see is that they are always "on". Every few seconds they are getting a twitter update or snapchat message (why oh why wasn't this around when I was growing up) or facebook update.

 

A friend of mine recently had cause to ground his teenage son and also confiscated his laptop and iphone. He said the difference in his behaviour was remarkable. the teenager was less surly, more communicative with the family, less aggressive, and an all round nicer person to be around.

 

There is an addictive quality to the social media which is not at all healthy

[tpbury]

I think there is an issue in how the kids use social media. Aside from the obvious dangers, the biggest issue I see is that they are always "on". Every few seconds they are getting a twitter update or snapchat message (why oh why wasn't this around when I was growing up) or facebook update.

 

A friend of mine recently had cause to ground his teenage son and also confiscated his laptop and iphone. He said the difference in his behaviour was remarkable. the teenager was less surly, more communicative with the family, less aggressive, and an all round nicer person to be around.

 

There is an addictive quality to the social media which is not at all healthy

Agree with that - social media is consuming my kids lives - sometimes it's good, but just the amount of time spent on it is breaking down real social relationships. As someone who spends a lot of time on here, I can't really complain. I think my teenage kids use Facebook to keep in touch with family, but they use Kik/Snapchat to exchange messages with friends and perverts.

[Turkish]

I preferred the days before facebook when you'd take a picture of your dinner and spend the next week visiting all your friends, colleagues and people you might have spoken to once before showing them the picture and shouting 'NOM NOM NOM' in their faces.

[whelk]

I preferred the days before facebook when you'd take a picture of your dinner and spend the next week visiting all your friends, colleagues and people you might have spoken to once before showing them the picture and shouting 'NOM NOM NOM' in their faces.

 

Lol. There are few things that grate with me more than the NOM NOM NOM thing and that is problem I think cynical old bstrds like me just get angry. I like hearing people say ' lol' and 'hashtag awkward' though.

Never been on FB but slagged it so much I'd lose face if I joined now. Now snapchat I really don't get.

[EastleighSoulBoy]

I have observed twitter, it gets plastered everywhere but even if I knew how to use it I probably wouldn't.

 

Facebook is a different thing, it's a double whammy, fun, useful and entertaining while totally annoying and depressing.

[aintforever]

I listened to the radio show about his and have to admit it did change my view on Facebook, it is a very useful tool to some people. I used to think it was pretty pointless and only of any use for attention seeking w@nkers.

 

I go on there once in a blue moon just to see how old friends are getting on, very quickly get bored though. It does have it's negative aspects, I know two people who have been sacked because of stuff they said on facebook.

 

It will be interesting to see how long it lasts, apparently many kids don't go near it because their parents are on it. I expect it will eventually die out and something else will take it's place.

[BlakeySFC]

If you have family abroad it's very useful, as it gives you an insight into their lives on a daily basis and a way to interact with them.

 

It has 1.23 billion users, I'm sure some of them aren't women (myself included), extremely sexist, derogatory and baseless statement to make if you ask me.

 

It can only be a bad thing when cyber bullying comes in to play, which is pretty much nonsense in my mind because you can just block someone on there and that'll be the end of it.

[hypochondriac]

If you have family abroad it's very useful, as it gives you an insight into their lives on a daily basis and a way to interact with them.

 

It has 1.23 billion users, I'm sure some of them aren't women (myself included), extremely sexist, derogatory and baseless statement to make if you ask me.

 

It can only be a bad thing when cyber bullying comes in to play, which is pretty much nonsense in my mind because you can just block someone on there and that'll be the end of it.

 

Who made this sexist derogatory and baseless statement that every facebook user was a woman then?

[BlakeySFC]

Who made this sexist derogatory and baseless statement that every facebook user was a woman then?

 

You sir:

 

Complete waste of time but in my experience most women find it fascinating. I expect it's the equivalent of saintsweb for them .

[shurlock]

You sir:

 

[hypochondriac]

You sir:

 

Oh dear you have made yourself look foolish. I of course did not say that every facebook user was a woman. Please note the line "in my experience most women find it fascinating." Some comprehension lessons may be called for sir.

Edited 9 February, 2014 by hypochondriac

[BlakeySFC]

Oh dear you have made yourself look foolish. I of course did not say that every facebook user was a woman. Please note the line "in my experience most women find it fascinating." Some comprehension lessons may be called for sir.

 

You didn't say those exact words, but you implied that every facebook user is a woman, and that they're all some how fascinated by facebook in the same way a dog is fascinated by a bone.

Edited 10 February, 2014 by BlakeySFC

[hypochondriac]

You didn't say those exact words, but you implied that every facebook user is a woman, and that they're all some how fascinated by facebook in the same way a dog is fascinated by a bone.

 

Err no I didn't. I didn't imply that at all. You may have decided that that's what you wanted to see so attached meaning to my post that didn't exist but that's your problem. What I said was what I meant, there was no implication. I didn't even talk about the amount of women who use it, I said that in my experience most found it fascinating so you are talking nonsense.

Edited 10 February, 2014 by hypochondriac

[Bearsy]

You didn't say those exact words, but you implied that every facebook user is a woman, and that they're all some how fascinated by facebook in the same way a dog is fascinated by a bone.

 

that about sums it up for me

[hypochondriac]

that about sums it up for me

 

I didn't know bears could fish!

[Tokyo-Saint]

Nah not everyone, just ones that need attention. Most common way is some disaster post - the reply they are targeting - "You ok Hun? xxx" followed closely by kid up date give me attention posts "Such a proud mum, little Bobby got 8/10 in maths today. Better than I ever did lol" - Target post "well done hun, you are such a good mum. xx if bad at maths lol".

 

Hypo, which one does your bird fall into?

[Bearsy]

I didn't know bears could fish!

 

i wasn't fish! i just think BlakeySFC made a really good point with what he was saying bout Facebooks. I mean, BlakeySFC was obv a bit hyperbole saying everyone on there is woman, that is exaggeration on BlakeySFC part, but they definitely are on it lot more than mens. If you message dude on facebooks you can expect reply in 48-72 hours, if you message woman you can expect to be block within approx 2-3 mins.

[Tokyo-Saint]

[hypochondriac]

i wasn't fish! i just think BlakeySFC made a really good point with what he was saying bout Facebooks. I mean, BlakeySFC was obv a bit hyperbole saying everyone on there is woman, that is exaggeration on BlakeySFC part, but they definitely are on it lot more than mens. If you message dude on facebooks you can expect reply in 48-72 hours, if you message woman you can expect to be block within approx 2-3 mins.

 

Ah I see so you were largely agreeing with me. My apologies. WHilst I don't agree that every user of facebook is a woman, I do think that a large percentage of women are fascinated by facebook and I don't really understand the appeal (I expect it's similar to Heat magazine or something like that.)

[hypochondriac]

Nah not everyone, just ones that need attention. Most common way is some disaster post - the reply they are targeting - "You ok Hun? xxx" followed closely by kid up date give me attention posts "Such a proud mum, little Bobby got 8/10 in maths today. Better than I ever did lol" - Target post "well done hun, you are such a good mum. xx if bad at maths lol".

 

Hypo, which one does your bird fall into?

 

Couldn't agree more. My bird uses facebook but I don't. I have though told her to refrain from mentioning me on there, something which I am told she sticks to. As to the content of her updates, I wouldn't know as I don't read them!

 

Edit: Just had a look. The latest update is about Nsync and MTV. Hmmm

[pap]

Ah I see so you were largely agreeing with me. My apologies. WHilst I don't agree that every user of facebook is a woman, I do think that a large percentage of women are fascinated by facebook and I don't really understand the appeal (I expect it's similar to Heat magazine or something like that.)

 

Glad we have such an expert on women to explain things for us.

Edited 10 February, 2014 by pap

[hypochondriac]

Glad we have such an expert on women to explain things for us.

 

Odd post. Never claimed to be an expert on women and I don't think I've ever met a man who is. In fact, I said I don't really understand the appeal which suggests I am anything but an expert!

Edited 10 February, 2014 by hypochondriac

[pap]

Odd post. Never claimed to be an expert on women and I don't think I've ever met a man who is. In fact, I said I don't really understand the appeal which suggests I am anything but an expert!

 

I was confusing the part where you were able to comment on a large percentage of women with first-hand knowledge.

[hypochondriac]

I was confusing the part where you were able to comment on a large percentage of women with first-hand knowledge.

 

I've used the phrase "in my experience" in previous posts so I thought it was fairly obvious that that is what I meant. Feel free to substitute that phrase for "I do think" in the sentence above if it is more agreeable to you (though it amounts to largely the same thing.) It does appear that facebook being the reserve of a majority of women is an opinion shared by a few others on here as well.

[Bearsy]

yeah pap what is ur problem here? How come hypo has to bone more than 50% of women on facebook to have opinion bout how dumb they are? According to this thread that is 0.615 billion womens! I don't think hypo has time to do all that research. He is v.business posting on here.