Facebook. Good? or bad? Useful?

[lee webster]

I have not wanted to join Facebook because of all the negatives I have read about. What I don't get to hear are the positives. I have a lot of musical instruments to sell, as well as music scores. Facebook seems to be the ideal marketplace. Thoughts and experiences please.
Lee

 

[minh-thanh]

Positive and negative sides are always everywhere, youtube, facebook.....
On fb there are some functions like: "hide all similar posts", "hide all posts from..."...quite nice, when you use it a few times and you will rarely see the Similar posts that you've chosen to hide
FB is also good if you learn how to use it.

 

[GreenTwin]

I have heard pro's and con's about fb.

The pro's are that there are a lot of folks on there, and the marketplace has some good offerings.

My wife is on fb, and she has actually retrieved some engine information from there for me.

The few times I have looked at fb, I have found it very difficult to understand function, and very random in how things are arranged.
It feels like a very scattered disorganized thing to me.
For the information my wife retrieved for me, she had to apply to a particular group, and then get accepted to that group.

I don't see an indexed system on fb, and so it is like the credits reel at the end of a moving; just a constantly moving stream of data, and good luck finding anything.

It seems obvious that fb is set up to maximize social interaction, but from a technical standpoint, such as like this model engine forum with its categories, I find fb to be a very poor performer.

Its all in what you are trying to get out of a website/forum.
Some folks want to post somewhat static material with little feedback, and some folks like myself want and need the interaction, feedback and recommendations of the experienced members.
For some folks, it is only about view count and popularity.
I am interested in the technical aspects, not the social aspects, but I do socialize with quite a few on this forum.

I have had trouble finding the same material twice on fb, but I have only used it a few times very briefly.

From the standpoint of big tech monopolies trolling personal data, I am against that sort of thing, and I think one should be able to be anonomous on any forum/website.
I jointed fb for a few days in about 2012, and fb insited that I send them a photo of my face, to verify who I was.
This is the very essence of George Orwell's 1984 book; he warned us about the facebooks of the world that was coming.
It is none of their business who am am, and I told fb to F-O.

For the same reasons, I don't use any google products or services (other than maps).
When I was on youtube, they were constantly trying to dig into my personal information, address, cell phone number, and any personal information they could dredge up.

Both of these services can and do change the terms of service at any time, and so if you put all of your photos, videos, etc. on these formats, you are to some extent extorted by these folks; they basically own your information and will manipulate you because of that.

I won't be using fb, google, or youtube to any extent in this lifetime.
I will wait until better options with more privacy are offered by others.

.

 

[SmithDoor]

I have not wanted to join Facebook because of all the negatives I have read about. What I don't get to hear are the positives. I have a lot of musical instruments to sell, as well as music scores. Facebook seems to be the ideal marketplace. Thoughts and experiences please.
Lee

I been on Face book since 2007. The number of post on Facebook is less than one a year or about 15 total in 17 years.

I found most Facebook groups only under mine better groups like this one. They to many trying to make money off there Facebook group. Like in welding you some saying a product NRxxxx saying it stands for North Ridge after the earthquake but NR line was around before the earthquake. FYI I see this on YouTube too.

Everyone wants good reliable information and just can not find it on Facebook.

Dave

 

[lee webster]

I think Facebook isn't for me. Thanks to all who replied.
Lee

 

[WisJim]

I've been on Facebook for almost 20 years. I use it primarily for a few tool collector and shop groups where some very knowledgeable people post good information. I have had variable luck with Face Book Marketplace to sell or buy things. At least half the time I get no response to my messages, whether buying or selling, and half of the replies end up being no shows or scam attempts. Craig's List has a lot fewer ads than a few years ago, before FaceBook Marketplace got so big, and of course newspaper ads are almost non-existent as the papers themselves have faded away.

 

[SmithDoor]

I've been on Facebook for almost 20 years. I use it primarily for a few tool collector and shop groups where some very knowledgeable people post good information. I have had variable luck with Face Book Marketplace to sell or buy things. At least half the time I get no response to my messages, whether buying or selling, and half of the replies end up being no shows or scam attempts. Craig's List has a lot fewer ads than a few years ago, before FaceBook Marketplace got so big, and of course newspaper ads are almost non-existent as the papers themselves have faded away.

I have had goto FaceBook Marketplace on my lathe i sold in November, Craig's List has gone down lot.

I think after new of FaceBook Marketplace is over we see more on Craig's List.

FaceBook Marketplace has drawbacks it does stay in your zip code. I had some wanting free shipping to NY.

Dave

 

[user 50514]

I think Facebook isn't for me. Thanks to all who replied.
Lee

I have tried fb 3 times over the last 16 years and everytime I left feeling sick of all the hate and self glorification before everything else. The last time I went back on is just about a month ago. My wife was visiting her parents and the dog escaped and did not return. I was advised to go into some of these groups for posting these things. Well out of 5 groups 3 of them simply chucked my request out without giving a reason and 2 left my request unanswered for over a week. Seems they are scared of all the scammers on there so they refuse new members for the silliest of reasons.
Stay away is my advise, too many warped individuals on there that makes enjoying it simply too difficult.

 

[Daryl_bee]

I have heard pro's and con's about fb.

The pro's are that there are a lot of folks on there, and the marketplace has some good offerings.

My wife is on fb, and she has actually retrieved some engine information from there for me.

The few times I have looked at fb, I have found it very difficult to understand function, and very random in how things are arranged.
It feels like a very scattered disorganized thing to me.
For the information my wife retrieved for me, she had to apply to a particular group, and then get accepted to that group.

I don't see an indexed system on fb, and so it is like the credits reel at the end of a moving; just a constantly moving stream of data, and good luck finding anything.

It seems obvious that fb is set up to maximize social interaction, but from a technical standpoint, such as like this model engine forum with its categories, I find fb to be a very poor performer.

Its all in what you are trying to get out of a website/forum.
Some folks want to post somewhat static material with little feedback, and some folks like myself want and need the interaction, feedback and recommendations of the experienced members.
For some folks, it is only about view count and popularity.
I am interested in the technical aspects, not the social aspects, but I do socialize with quite a few on this forum.

I have had trouble finding the same material twice on fb, but I have only used it a few times very briefly.

From the standpoint of big tech monopolies trolling personal data, I am against that sort of thing, and I think one should be able to be anonomous on any forum/website.
I jointed fb for a few days in about 2012, and fb insited that I send them a photo of my face, to verify who I was.
This is the very essence of George Orwell's 1984 book; he warned us about the facebooks of the world that was coming.
It is none of their business who am am, and I told fb to F-O.

For the same reasons, I don't use any google products or services (other than maps).
When I was on youtube, they were constantly trying to dig into my personal information, address, cell phone number, and any personal information they could dredge up.

Both of these services can and do change the terms of service at any time, and so if you put all of your photos, videos, etc. on these formats, you are to some extent extorted by these folks; they basically own your information and will manipulate you because of that.

I won't be using fb, google, or youtube to any extent in this lifetime.
I will wait until better options with more privacy are offered by others.

.

Your words are gospel.

I have never joined the major social media groups as I see how they mine your info and track you. Even worse, they claim perpetual ownership of anything that lands on their site(s). Years & years ago I was warned of these things by a lawyer who has argued cases at the Supreme court. There is a down side to avoiding them but IMHO a price worth paying. I saw (via a search) a vintage "Free Flow" wood stove I really wanted on Facebook marketplace. I was absolutely unable to contact the seller because I wasn't part of Facebook. Oh well I let it go. It's not worth them getting my data.

Another one that annoys me is "Pinterest". They scoop up creators works and become the pre-eminent search result, in essence, hiding the original creator and making it hard to find/make contact with that original creator. Clicking on the pin almost never gets you anywhere other than another Pinterest page. Deep searches excluding pinterest can get to the source but it's often very hard & lengthy. IMHO it's a form of theft of originality so they (Google) can capitalize on other's works at the expense of the creator & without compensation.

Today there was a big AT&T breach. I see things like social insurance numbers (amongst a raft of other things) were compromised. A social insurance number is between you, the government & possibly the bank) they (AT&T) had no need for that but probably said they had to have it (in essence mined it) and in the end they compromised everyone by losing it.

The world is selling its soul for freebies and the perpetual ownership is going to come around and bite in 2, 5, 10, 20, ? years. More & more I'm seeing it surely does.

 

[SmithDoor]

Your words are gospel.

I have never joined the major social media groups as I see how they mine your info and track you. Even worse, they claim perpetual ownership of anything that lands on their site(s). Years & years ago I was warned of these things by a lawyer who has argued cases at the Supreme court. There is a down side to avoiding them but IMHO a price worth paying. I saw (via a search) a vintage "Free Flow" wood stove I really wanted on Facebook marketplace. I was absolutely unable to contact the seller because I wasn't part of Facebook. Oh well I let it go. It's not worth them getting my data.

Another one that annoys me is "Pinterest". They scoop up creators works and become the pre-eminent search result, in essence, hiding the original creator and making it hard to find/make contact with that original creator. Clicking on the pin almost never gets you anywhere other than another Pinterest page. Deep searches excluding pinterest can get to the source but it's often very hard & lengthy. IMHO it's a form of theft of originality so they (Google) can capitalize on other's works at the expense of the creator & without compensation.

Today there was a big AT&T breach. I see things like social insurance numbers (amongst a raft of other things) were compromised. A social insurance number is between you, the government & possibly the bank) they (AT&T) had no need for that but probably said they had to have it (in essence mined it) and in the end they compromised everyone by losing it.

The world is selling its soul for freebies and the perpetual ownership is going to come around and bite in 2, 5, 10, 20, ? years. More & more I'm seeing it surely does.

I joined Facebook when it just small group now I am one of oldest members and almost never post.

I like what you said { a vintage "Free Flow" wood stove}.

Dave