Friday, July 30, 2010

Old Broad Attitude - Positives and Negatives of Facebook

2009 was the year I ventured into "social networking" with Twitter and Facebook. Going into 2010, the old broad already has some attitudes - big surprise there, right folks? - about both. Going to talk about Facebook today and will save Twitter for later.

Facebook could turn into a real love hate relationship for me, can see it already. It has reconnected me with some dynamite people that I'm really happy about being reconnected with! From the 1970's thru the last few years. We haven't become born again bff's, but it's been great to touch base, see where life has taken them and maybe, build on foundations already in place.

On the otherhand, my old hippy idealist side is a bit aghast again.
Facebook reminds me of my first big aghast response to the internet. That one was over email. With shining eyes I took to the web as every flower child's dream of world wide communication for everyone! We could all stay in touch and share our knowledge by hitting a key. We didn't have to rely on phones - ROTFL, literally! phones for another post though - calls at awkwarad times, scheduling time to return calls. No more. Now we could pick a time that was convenient for us to both read and write. We could keep up with each other and share information. I even started a monthly newsletter to all my email list.

And then the fwd's started to roll in. I got very few real responses but boy did I get fwd's. Poems, cute animal photos, chain letters, unsupport dire warnings on everything from my deodorant to my cereal, letters about people dying, kidnapped or walking five miles in the snow to school. If the person sending the fwd wrote anything at all, it was something like "thought you'ld like this". Since these usually arrived after being forwarded thru several people's extensive email lists, it was hard to tell who said that! And was anyone on these fwd lists realizing how many people were getting some great mailing lists for spam and possibly worse mischief?

Facebook seems to be following this path with it's Smiles, Hugs, Hearts, Whatevers. Personally I'ld rather read "Having my coffee. Headed for work. Another day another dollar.", then get generic "xx sent you a teddy bear, click here to send one back". For gosh sakes folk - communicate! that's what it's here for. Even if it's just once a week, say something about yourself! Even if it's just "Hi everyone, how are you doing?".

Plust there's something else to think of with these neat little easy, as in not having to say a word yourself, tools. Too many of these "click here to send one back" seem to allow a certain admittance to your info. Now as one who has been pretty dern skimpy with her info to start with, I don't have too many worries about people getting too much from Facebook. BUT I SURE AS HOOT DON'T WANT THEM GETTING MY EMAIL. Which seems to be a big possibility

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