What is the point/use of having Facebook?

[viridus]

I am thinking about joining Facebook, just to keep in contact with friends. Is it worth losing my privacy, and is it worth it?
Just would like some opinions, please.

This is Facebook logic. No, that is stupid person logic.

^^^this!

Op just share what you want to share. There's no need to put anything up there that you don't want seen. I enjoy fbook for the most part. I particularly enjoy staying in touch with friends from far away. I also think there are some great things to read on fbook, in amongst some total rubbish obviously!

I think it a good way to keep in touch. Keep your privacy levels high and only have real friends. Half the angst on MN seems to come from having 'friends' who are not friends and are not even liked!

I use it to chat to/ keep in touch with my various hobby/ interest groups. It's handy to arrange to meet up and to attract new people and show what we're up to/ moan etc.
Also my family are all in England whilst I'm in Scotland and my son is now at uni. It's handy to chat to them and share pictures etc.
I don't post that much in my profile though, only once every few days. I don't like everyone knowing what I'm up to. With my son we mainly message each other.
I have under 40 friends though and agree people who moan most about it aren't discerning enough about their friends or good enough at unfollowing people/ sorting out their privacy settings.

I don't want a picture of my face in the face box as I want to be anonymous to casual browsers. If people don't know me / like me well enough to accept my friend request by just seeing my name then I wouldn't be asking them to be my friend anyway.

I haven't read anything past the OP and I admit it.

If you think joining Facebook means losing your privacy, then don't join Facebook.

Go back to smoke signals, they are more your speed.

I use it as a newsfeed for my interests and for keeping up with a friend who lives abroad.

Just remember that Facebook have the intellectual property rights of anything you post - i.e. they own that data. So, if your house got flooded and your sofa floated into the sea and made headline news, they can publish your pictures freely. Don't put anything on there you would be embarrassed for the world to see!

Why don't you use a nickname when you register?

I wouldn't like HR or a potential employer to poke their nose in my feed, so I keep mine private. Whilst there's nothing that couldn't be made public on my FB, it's none of a strangers' business either. Nicknames are quite useful and common, especially if you are a teacher.

I use it because I have a lot of friends and relatives across the world who I want to keep in touch with. It's not the antichrist, just be very aware of what you post, your privacy settings and don't put things up you wouldn't want others outside your immediate group to see.

Facecrooks are ace for helping users keep their data relatively private:

facecrooks.com/Internet-Safety-Privacy/how-to-lockdown-your-facebook-account-for-maximum-privacy-and-security.html/

It's useful for me because all my family live abroad and I love to be able to see their children growing up.

Why don't you use a nickname when you register?

If you do, you run the risk of having to prove you are actually that person. I have 2 friends/acquaintances who have had this happen to them and, obviously, they can't prove they are that person because they aren't!

Lately I've noticed that people put extra letters in their name so that it wouldn't show up in a search.

Eg Meggg Johnsonn

I was quite late to the FB game but really like it.

When I meet someone, I add them on Facebook - we keep in touch. I have so many friends now made over the past few years that I don't think I would have without it. I am involved in a hobby and we have groups on Facebook that interested people join and we arrange meet ups. I am quite shy and it's nice to see who will be coming along beforehand.

I am not friends with anyone I dislike, or anyone boring or racist. I have a genuine interest in my friends' lives and enjoy seeing their photos and news. I think it's a real force for good.