How many of you agree with her sentiments – I do – I only joined Facebook because it was the only way to find out what it was all about and I have not willingly used it since.
I looked at it today and originally it asked me to tell them which films, books tv programmes were my favourites which I did (don't ask why I did) but now I see these have disappeared and it is now asking me have I seen this film, read this book, viewed this tv programme. As a friend of mine (not on Facebook) says ‘what has that to do with the price of fish’.
What’s wrong with contacting friends via email and sending them our news and family pics etc. etc. Why must the whole world know our business – why would they need to and why does everyone thinks they would be interested – it’s dangerous and unnecessary.
As for twitter – again a dangerous way of encouraging strange, juvenile and sometimes evil comments as if they were the way of the world now. Our opinions here are also, I believe, never taken a blind notice of by the people who count in this world.
I am a bit like Véronique, my family is often dispersed, what little there is of it. My ex-students are the main one, plus 'private' contact with a few colleagues, old school friends and others. We are spread right round the globe, so sometimes remembering a name, then looking them up puts me in touch with another person. Professionally I am on LinkedIn though, which is growing far too big now, so not entirely useful any longer. At least we get a bit of an insight into what each other is doing.
I have other networks too, academic and some closed professional networks. As long as a user keeps a fairly tight control over them, then they are useful. They nearly outgrow that usefulness in time, so we all migrate to the next one and start all over again. Apart from professional details, like Véro nothing personal goes up, that is my business although if people know me then they may well have it anyway but not through FB.
I use FB as a way of keeping in touch with my family all over the world & my ex-pupils. V handy for wishing them a happy birthday or congratulating on exam etc success. I don't necessarily want to clutter my email with that sort of thing. It is also a way for people you have lost sight of eg old school friends to be in touch too. My profile is private & I block anything I can't be bothered to see - FB has no information about me re likes/dislikes other info etc. It is none of their business. I put nothing on FB I wouldn't be happy to put on a placard in the street. I use skype with far-flung friends & family too.
I use Facebook as I live in France, my parents live in the UK and my brother and his family live in Canada. My husbands family are similarly scattered as are all our friends. It's great to keep in touch but my private page is set to only show friends and family, not public. It is also great for my young children to stay in touch with cousins who they only see once a year at most, otherwise our widely scattered family will lose touch as used to happen in the past!
I have also hidden all the comments of friends/family that are completely banal and irritate the heck out of me discussing their shopping trip or whatever, it drives me nuts.
Professionally it is another thing altogether and a proven method of finding clients if you have international clients as I do.