Pressure to join Facebook??

[clarabelle]

Recently two people from my past have emailed or written me to encourage me to join facebook.
I don't want to hook up with people from highschool. There are a few that have "stalker potential"
Is there something I am missing here? Some reason to join aside from staying in touch with old friends?
I feel like these people think I am uninformed and surely if I had a clue that I would be signed up.

 

[golfgal]

Well the "stalker" issue is easily handled, just block them. I use it to keep in touch with new friends as well as old. We also use it for sports team updates for the kids and other activity planning, etc. I find it very useful personally.

 

[bicker]

My wife's family has gotten a lot closer since Facebook, keeping in touch with each other, just about every day, even in cases where before Facebook they hadn't spoken to each other in years. Facebook is, literally, weaving families back together that were effectively torn apart by the mid-20th Century diaspora, prompted by people moving away from their hometowns so much.

 

[AngieBelle]

A friend of mine was very adamant about not joining facebook...until she kept getting left out of parties because the invites were all sent through facebook, and her friends kept forgetting she didn't have it! She recently gave in. I love facebook because it's fun to be able to keep in touch with people I might have otherwise lost touch with. I can read updates on former co-workers and classmates I'm not necessarily close to but would like to see how things are going for them. It's also a great way to get a message across to a lot of people at once or to share photos or to just have a fun escape.

 

[Acklander]

I use it to stay closer to family, who are about 1200 miles away. Instead of getting a weekly phone call talking about the highlights I get to see the day to day stuff as well. My mom, sisters and I all play games together because when you challenge someone, we don't all have to play at the same time.

 

[hanutedmansionmomma]

You get to choose your friends. People need to send you a request if they want to be friend. You can ignore the request! Make sure you set everything to "private" when you set up account.

I use it to share photos of kids, etc., as we moved far far away from the fandamily.

I also thought I would be stalked by old boyfriends. Haven't heard from one yet

 

[clarabelle]

Thanks guys -you are giving me some food for thought.

I don't mean to imply that I would have loads of men chasing after me.

Actually the person I am worried about the most is a woman.

Bicker -I had to google diaspora.

 

[Disney Doll]

Bicker likes big words.

Facebook can be a tool if you allow it to be a tool and not take over your life.

Weirdos can be blocked. You can make your FB page private so only those you choose to have access will have it.

It can be a nice way to stay in touch.

I use it with caution because I don't like a lot of personal info out there about me. I am amazed at some of the things people post on FB! I post stuff with the thought in mind "Would I care if my mother or a future employer reads this?". Because don't, for one minute, think that a future employer won't google you.

My FB comments are usually limited to light commentary about stuff folks post. I don't like posting pics of myself either.

 

[kristilew]

Depending on the wording of the emails you have received, they may have not been all that personal.

When you upload photos onto Facebook, one of the choices is to "share these pictures with people even if they aren't on FB!" I thought this was a great way to share pictures with a friend who might be interested in the one event the pictures showed, but had stated a preference to NOT join Facebook.

Turns out, instead of getting a link to the pictures, he got a chatty email from "me" suggesting he join Facebook. I never would have known if he hadn't told me to lay off with pushing FB. I was embarassed - this was not what I had intended at all!

So, while you certainly may be experiencing a stalker type thing, it could also be more innocent.

 

[clarabelle]

Thanks!

Anyone joined and wish they hadn't ?

 

[bicker]

Bicker -I had to google diaspora.

Reading my messages like having a Word of the Day calendar, eh?

 

[clarabelle]

without a doubt

 

[hulagirl87]

Thanks!

Anyone joined and wish they hadn't ?

I joined and was on it for about 6 months. I cancelled my account because I just wasn't interested in knowing what everyone was doing every moment of the day plus it made me feel a little creepy that people from your past could find you and look at pictures of you. It's an odd setup that facebook and I'm glad I don't have it anymore.

 

[SaraJayne]

I joined and was on it for about 6 months. I cancelled my account because I just wasn't interested in knowing what everyone was doing every moment of the day plus it made me feel a little creepy that people from your past could find you and look at pictures of you. It's an odd setup that facebook and I'm glad I don't have it anymore.

If you use the privacy settings correctly, no one can see pics of you without your permission.

 

[cheermom1]

We have it to keep in touch with our family ..we all live in several states through out the US...
you can block and have the setting set to your liking...if I were you I'd try it out and if you don;t like it cancel it...no harm in trying..

 

[clarabelle]

What I would really like -is to see everyone else's pages -but not have one of my own.
I know -not very reasonable of me is it?
Thanks for your input

 

[robinb]

I have also had a lot of pressure to join Facebook, but I have not done it yet. I'm just not so sure that I want all that "stuff" out there about myself. Here on the DIS I am (somewhat) anonymous. On Facebook you use your real name. I am still on the fence and my friends and family think that I am a Luddite, LOL!

 

[MUFFYCAT]

I joined but don't use much aside from playing Farmtown.
I do like it as I've gotten in touch with some chilhood friends.

 

[jsmith]

My Family Resource Group does all their communication thru Facebook. I do not-and refuse to have an account-because its very easy to compromise a security clearance -which both hubby and i need for our jobs-on social networking sites-plus im a total geek and i dont want my computer getting some of the bugs that hide in there. When i told the FRG leader that i wanted info by email i got a nice lecture on needing to move into the 21st century communications wise..
as for "keeping in touch" with family members-if they are too lazy to send a regular email or phone-how in touch are they really.

 

[clutter]

Bicker likes big words.

Facebook can be a tool if you allow it to be a tool and not take over your life.

Weirdos can be blocked. You can make your FB page private so only those you choose to have access will have it.

It can be a nice way to stay in touch.

I use it with caution because I don't like a lot of personal info out there about me. I am amazed at some of the things people post on FB! I post stuff with the thought in mind "Would I care if my mother or a future employer reads this?". Because don't, for one minute, think that a future employer won't google you.

My FB comments are usually limited to light commentary about stuff folks post. I don't like posting pics of myself either.

I joined to check it out, and I have VERY mixed feelings about it.

For one thing, I have a couple of friends that post CONSTANTLY. If they're not posting they're playing a game or receiving hearts or trees or some other crap, which is posting on my wall. While I want to keep up with their posts, I don't really care about what site they've become a fan of. Or what level they've achieved in Bejeweled, because when you play games it goes out to all your friends!

In addition, I don't care to see strangers pictures of their new chemo port scared1: does this person realize that her picture could be on thousands upon thousands of walls?) or vacation because my friend posted to their pic. Do you see a trend? If I accept a heart from the friend that sent me one, then I believe that everyone in my friend group will be notified. My group is a mix of (next generation of) family, mom friends, soccer team moms, past friends. They just don't need to know all of this stuff.

Anyway, in addition to asking if I want my mother or future employer to see, you have to add "Do I want all of their friends to see as well?" Because it could reach many many many strangers.