With May 31 being heralded at Quit Facebook Day, I've been thinking about whether or not I want to leave. I thought I would look at the things that annoy me about Facebook before I decide. I am guilty of committing many of these Facebook sins but they annoy me all the same. If you're one of my Facebook friends, I'm (probably) not talking about you.
1. People complain about privacy but do nothing to help themselves. We all whine about Facebook's privacy settings being complicated or that we do not even really have privacy but then we're the ones oversharing with 600 of our "closest" friends. If you don't know all of your "friends" VERY well you should probably reconsider posting your address and every picture you take of your kid.
2. Let's look at the oversharing again. No one wants to hear about your gas problems or read along while you fight with your boyfriend on Facebook. It isn't worthwhile. It isn't cute. It isn't funny. It's annoying.
3. Speaking of not caring... The posts on Facebook get mundane. I know that that is kind of the point. Tell us what you're doing and all of that but after awhile the pointless updates get annoying. Some people seem to post every thought they have and it's annoying.
4. If you're going to be mundane, at least stop after one post. Facebook users post about the same thing over and over and over again. I don't care if it's your job, your kids, or your garden; no one wants to read 10 posts about it. Change it up a little bit. I just know there is more to you than that one subject you post about non-stop.
5. Ego Alert! For the first 1-4 reasons I listed, Facebook has become ego central. Admit it, there has to be some egocentric behavior going on for us to think that anyone cares about the bottle of perfume we bought or that the dog just went for a walk. I admit that I'm guilty of this, too. I also realize that this is Facebook's point. However, that doesn't detract from the fact that we go overboard with these types of posts.
6. Coy Status Updates. We've all seen these posts. "Thanks for all the support." "I can't believe that happened!" or my favorite, "My life is falling apart!!!" And nothing more. The poster doesn't come right out and say what's on their mind so instead they type of a mysterious status update. I can only assume that the poster just wants attention/sympathy. If you don't want to tell us, don't post about it at all. Simple as that.
Since I bashed Facebook, it's only fair I tell what I like.
1. Old friends. It is interesting to connect with old friends and see what they're up to. Facebook can definitely be a great way to keep in touch with old and new friends.
2. I'm Nosy. This is no secret to anyone out there but yes, I am very nosy and Facebook can be like the ultimate bathroom cabinet to rummage through since everyone tells their whole life story.
3. Deals. In addition to being nosy, I'm cheap. There are deals to be had if you "like" companies that offer freebies. I've gotten free perfume and coupons through comapny's like Clinique and Bounce that have Facebook pages.
4. I really do care. Despite the fact that I don't want to read 40 status updates all about your new couch, I do care about how you're doing. I also enjoy looking at your pictures. It's all about moderation and nothing in excess.
Do you agree with me on any of these points? What annoys you about Facebook? What do you like about it?
4 comments:
I think it's funny that Facebook is now full of more mundane posts than Twitter, which is what everyone complains about Twitter. But if I look at my Twitter friends vs. Facebook friends, the FB people are 10x worse at posting crap nobody really wants to read.
I couldn't agree more about privacy. If you don't like it, stop using it. If you walked into a room that smelled like a fart, you'd probably leave right?
Facebook does have its good points, like connecting with friends, but unfortunately FB has changed the definition of "friend"...which now means anyone that knows you or one of your friends...or one of your friends friends.
I've managed to keep my Facebooking to a minimum, both in my participation and in the number of friends I acknowledge. I admit, I use Facebook more as a marketing tool and also as a quick way to reach people by which I have no other means of contacting them.
I'm not going to quit Facebook. I don't use it enough for it to be bothering me. I'm getting out of it what I put into it, and that's all I can expect.
You almost have to quit using it and leave. Here's why...I have received WEDDING invitations exclusively on Facebook. People have invited me to dinner and I don't see the invite until 3 days AFTER the event took place. If I'm not on Facebook then they have to either email me or send out a paper invite. People are starting to depend on it as the sole method of communication. If you're not on it at all, they know that it isn't an option for contacting you.
This is my take on why I think I will be leaving:
http://matt.gehrisch.us/2010/05/29/to-delete-or-not-to-delete/
I am absolutely smelling a fart, and I don't think I want to stick around.
G+
I agree with you Matt. When the "let's leave myspace" committees started, myspace quickly sank like a ship soon after.
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