Facebook, Schmacebook...

[MineralMan]

Facebook is whatever you make it. You can block stuff from your feed if you wish. You can limit your feed from being viewed by anyone but people you have friended. You don't have to read right-wing crap there.

I'm a member of several Facebook special interest groups. All of them ban anyone who posts about politics, since politics is not the subject of that group. I am also on a group of students at my old high school, but I automatically hide anyone who brings politics into that group.

Some of my groups are nostalgic groups of people who share parts of my life history. They all ban political postings. Others are groups about hobbies or avocations. Those, too, bar political postings. One of the groups is about at topic about which I have considerable expertise. On that group, I'm a giver of expert advice, which has helped many people solve problems they have with the topic of the group.

I visit Facebook once a day every morning and that's it. I spend maybe half an hour on it, commenting to friends or adding something to the feed of some group or another.

You know what I never do on Facebook? Write about politics. That's what DU is for. Facebook is for other things.

[abqtommy]

1. That's good for you. But it's my feeling that the overall effect of Facebook is negative and that's

why I quit it years ago...to each their own.

[MineralMan]

3. I feel that most of this society is negative overall.

That does not stop me from participating in it and trying to improve it.

If you're not trying, you're not actually helping, it seems to me. Instead, you're leaving things to those with whom you disagree. That doesn't seem like a great way to work for change, somehow.

I don't write about politics on Facebook. In fact, I argue against political posts on that venue. Many, many people agree with that position, so I'm not alone in trying to get people to leave politics off Facebook.

You quit it. I did not. I'm trying to change it. You are not.

You do you, but please don't try to tell others to do you. That trick never works.

[JonLP24]

5. My problems are with Zuckerberg and overall problems with the company including their bias

In favor of conservatives. They are willing to bend TOS to give them a platform. We can't force Facebook to change but maybe Congress can.

Their own employees staged a virtual walkout over their Trump policies.

[MineralMan]

12. I've never seen Zuckerberg on Facebook.

I don't know him. He's not one of my Facebook friends. So, I don't pay any attention to him. instead, I use the venue for my own purposes and use the tools provided to control my Facebook experience. Truly, I see no right-wing stuff there at all.

[JonLP24]

15. Just because you have no problems

Doesn't mean Facebook doesn't have any problems or that Zuckerberg panders to Trump to avoid regulation. Cambridge Analytica swung the election for Trump using Facebook. Cambridge Analytica also swung Brexit as well using social media.

[MineralMan]

19. Oh, dear...

Facebook is a site on the Internet that I use for my own purposes. I understand the site very well, just as I understand DU very well.

Cambridge Analytica has none of my data, because I don't engage with anything on Facebook except my own feed and a few small groups on the site.

Facebook did not influence my vote in any way.

If you don't use Facebook, you don't know how to use Facebook as a tool. I use it as a tool. It does not use me in any way at all.

[EllieBC]

7. Yeah it's too bad

that you aren’t in charge of all content anyone sees or reads.

Look if I went by DU for everything I would have never left the house the last 3 months. However I listened to my provincial health minister who said go out and home, walk, run, bike. On FB.

[ChazII]

2. Facebook was a life saver for me from March 2019

to March of this year. My son was diagnosed with a stage IV glioblastoma brain tumor. The type of tumor that took the lives of senators Kennedy and McCain and VP Biden's son. I joined two support groups for families and no politics were allowed. I also was a member of the Optune device which helped shrink the tumor.

I agree with you. Facebook is whatever we make it.

[MineralMan]

6. Yes. Facebook is full of groups where people are focused on

something. On most of those groups, political posts are unwelcome and people are not shy about saying so.

The groups you joined were helpful to you because they were made up of people who understood your situation. There are thousands of groups like that on Facebook.

The venue offers opportunities for just about everything. It's up to everyone to use Facebook as they choose to use it.

Thank you for your reply.

I'm in a group about crystal radio receivers. Most of its members are just beginning to play with such things, but I'm an old hand at it, because I'm an old fart. I can answer questions. I can offer advice. I know where to get stuff they can use as they experiment. It's not necessarily crucial information, but I participate because I know stuff about historical radio equipment.

[Best_man23]

4. I call it FaceBorg

I don't have an account, and don't go on there with my computer. I don't click any links to FaceBorg.

Mrs Best, however, is on FB and because she e-mails me from her system, I get ad popups on my non-FB system for stuff she searches for ON FB.

[MineralMan]

8. OK. You don't use Facebook.

So, you don't know how to use Facebook to control your experience.

I'm not in any way suggesting that you join Facebook. Why would I bother to do that. Still, others here are telling me I should not use it. Do you not see the contradiction there. I don't take directions from people who do not know what they are talking about. I just don't.

[Dream Girl]

9. People (selfishly) justify their use of it, but it don't work.

, you can rationalize all you want. It is a poisonous, toxic tool it is being used against America. I stopped using it years ago. I will never support it. I don’t care how “convenient” and “useful” others find it.

[EllieBC]

11. That's a great choice for you!

And I’ll continue to use it. So we both get a self righteous sticker?

[Dream Girl]

16. I wouldn't give you the sticker. You are well aware of wha is and what it does but you choose to use

It anyway. What does that say about you?

[EllieBC]

20. That I'm not a self righteous jerk!

That’s what it says!

[MineralMan]

13. Then you probably shouldn't use Facebook.

But, you probably should not tell others how to use the Internet, either.

You don't use it. I don't care. Instead, you are telling me what to do here on DU. Why? Nobody is suggesting that you sign up on Facebook, are they? So, why are you telling me to sign off?

You don't see the contradiction, do you?

[Dream Girl]

21. Did I tell you not to use it? I said that that people use it while be well aware of its use a tool

Against against American democracy. You choose it use it with full knowledge of how dangerous it is. What does that say about you?

[EllieBC]

10. There are so many groups on FB.

Some clearly political. And some ban any political chatter. Which is nice because if I want a good recipe I don’t want your political views. If I want your political views I don’t want pics of your dog.

[Squinch]

14. Your very presence there puts money in Zuckerberg's pocket. The

numbers of users are what gives Facebook its value and gives Zuckerberg his power. You are adding to that. And that power abuses the data of American citizens for the benefit of companies like Cambridge Analytica and the likes of Donald Trump.

But sure. Other than that, it's fine.

[MineralMan]

17. No, actually it doesn't.

I give no money to Facebook. I click no ads on Facebook. Heck, I don't even see ads very often, since I am always hiding them. They've mostly stopped showing up, oddly enough.

I put no money whatsoever in Zuckerberg's pocket. I'm freeloading on his platform.

Facebook doesn't know I exist, really, because I never click on anything there, use any Facebook apps, or do anything but post there on my own feed and in the carefully selected groups I choose to join.

I don't even visit the DU page on Facebook. Why would I? I use DU on DU.

Bye, now...

[Squinch]

18. Your presence there increases the number of users. It is the number of

users that gives Facebook it's value. It doesn't matter if you click ads or give money. You are one of the mass of people who give Facebook its numbers and influence.

If Facebook had no members, it would have no power. You are part of its power. Whether you give money or not. And whether you believe it or not. And whether you like it or not.

Bye, now...

[Skittles]

26. I hear that a lot

FB doesn't know who I am! OMG

[Dream Girl]

27. That's what you think

[Skittles]

29. yup

if you're gonna use that piece of shit site just fucking OWN IT already, enough with these pathetic, insulting excuses

[Squinch]

30. I know. Meanwhile they are dismantling our Democracy.

[Skittles]

31. VERY MUCH SO

like Trump, they no longer really try to hide it

[Dream Girl]

24. There is no such thing a free on social media. They make money by your very presence there

They are not a nonprofit. As they say,“If your not paying, you’re the product.” I live and work in Silicon Valley...I know many people who have worked at FB and won’t go near I it. It is a very cushy place to work, yet people are kind of ashamed to work there at the folks i know in the Bay Area tech community.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

22. I don't need any new stalkers in my life.

Been there, done that.

No Facebook for me.

[BannonsLiver]

28. There have been some fairly serious privacy issues with FB over the years

[Celerity]

23. You are supporting the rotter by your having an account. Simply being a user aids Fuckerburg.

SMDH at all the rationilisation hoops that people try and jump through all in order to justify their own usage of an incredibly dangerous and corrosive service that is helping destroy the union.

[Skittles]

25. Facebook is a rightwing piece of shit hack site