Facebook - to join or not to join

[Thurston Garden]

Well I crumbled last night and signed up. Treading slowly with the security screwed right down as people suggested.

Big Al - you are right, there is loads of info about us out there already. It's not so much that that I was thinking about, but all the smaller details. Like the 'what's on your mind' bit. Whilst speaking to a collgeaue today, she said one of the downsides for her was having her daughter on her friends list and seeing things like "8:30am - walking home after a great night"...

There is also the usual conspiricy chat on the internet about Facebook info being monitored by the CIA and stuff like that. That said, if you have nothing to hide, why be worried?

[southeast-isher]

I find it good to comment on talk radio topics when you join the relevant Facebook groups - for that reason i joined.

[Thurston Garden]

I have discovered I can link my spotify and FB accounts so I can share my music with my friends. i.e. see what they are listening to!

[Green Aura]

one of the downsides for her was having her daughter on her friends list and seeing things like "8:30am - walking home after a great night"...

You're right TG, a lot of (mainly kids) use it as a constant progress report without realising its potential dangers. Not only dangerous but it's bloody boring I don't care if my friends are constipated or just taking their budgie for a walk.

But I have found it invaluable for meeting up with old,old friends (one from the 70's!) who I've not seen for yonks. And others with whom I'm happy to swap the odd line but don't want constant contact.

However, you might find one or two of us are a bit political - just a bit

[Ellendra]

Most of my extended family is on facebook, it's great for sharing family photos with everyone, and for reconnecting with people you've lost touch with.
(I go by a fake name on FB for security purposes)

And now a cheerful story: Many years ago, before I was born, one of my mom's cousins married an abuser, who isolated her from the entire family. No one heard from her for more than 30 years. Last winter he died, and she began recovering and reaching out to try and find her family again, but so many have moved and changed names in that time that finding people the old fashioned way was nearly impossible. Then she found my grandmother on facebook, and was able to reconnect just in time for her and her daughter to come to my brother's wedding, where they were welcomed with open arms.

[Silver Ether]

I find it useful ... there under my silver ether so no one can find me unless I want them to and I dont friend folks unless I now who or where they are from ... as a couple from here know as I was poked by mutual friend to say . hey ... So make it clear folks who you are or you will be ignored

I got my kids as friends they are grownup and as i dont judge them they dont judge me .. if they do tuff ... but I dont allow any work realated folks to get to me ... haha
I live a very differnt life style from them ...and they wouldn't understand that I can't stand their material ways ...

[Marmalady]

[quote="Thurston Garden"]... Whilst speaking to a collgeaue today, she said one of the downsides for her was having her daughter on her friends list and seeing things like "8:30am - walking home after a great night"...
quote]


haha - i can relate to that!
one morning i got up and my son's FB status timed at some ungodly hour was "anyone around who can give me a lift to the hospital?" -- worrying to say the least!! I checked his room and he was fast asleep in bed so had to wait till he woke up to find out he was wanting a lift to bring back a friend who had overdone the alcohol and been taken off by ambulance.

Now both my son & daughter have set their privacy so that i cant see their updates!

[Millymollymandy]

I can't imagine if I was young wanting to be friends with my parents!!! Don't kids these days like to have secrets anymore? *evil grin smiley*

How do you set it so that a person who you are 'friends' with can't see your updates? I know how to set it so that I don't have to see the updates of a friend or a 'like' but not the other way round.....

[Marmalady]

How do you set it so that a person who you are 'friends' with can't see your updates? I know how to set it so that I don't have to see the updates of a friend or a 'like' but not the other way round.....

go to account settings / privacy
at the bottom is a little blue link "customise" which opens up a page of what appears on your FB feed with a drop-down menu
you can then customise who sees various things by choosing "customise" from the drop-down menu

hope i've explained this properly -- if all else fails just keep poking around under the Privacy pages untill you ind it!

[ajs88]

I find its the best way to stay in touch with family abroad and its really nice to be able to share photots with eachother

[Thurston Garden]

Some very useful security tips here.

[Sinmara]

I find FB very useful - although I keep my profile completely private and my name is not searchable.

I have also put all my picture albums friends only, with seveal only visible for certain friend groups (I don't want my relatives to see the the fetish pics, for example). I don't add people I don't know personally as well.

[Millymollymandy]

Some very useful security tips here.

I've never seen half of that info, I don't think it is available on FB help.

I only got a notification the other day about a new thing called groups where you could customise which groups of friends see what information.

In the end it's all rather complicated and if I was that bothered I just would delete the whole damn thing!

But I can't see any problems posting photos of cakes and veggies. I would never post a photo of a person without their permission however and it would be nice if other people did the same - i.e. if anyone should ever post a photo of me without my permission I would be down on them like a ton of bricks.

[Millymollymandy]

Hmmmm just looked at privacy settings and they have changed again since I last set them a couple of months ago and there are some things I don't even understand what they mean!

[JillStephens7]

I would never post a photo of a person without their permission however and it would be nice if other people did the same -

Someone put a photo of our wedding on without asking, I was not happy!