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Original poster

Possibly FB CFery

23 replies

JemilyJ · 20/08/2019 21:25

I recently joined an FB group for a medical condition. It’s basically a worldwide support group with over 1500 people in it. It started as an offshoot of a blog which is now more of a site of resources and info about the condition.

The woman who runs it has been asking for donations. I thought it was for hosting for the site. But she’s now threatening if she doesn’t raise enough money she’ll have to delete the FB group because running it is what she does as a business.

Apparently this is really common but it’s the first I’ve heard of it and it’s not something I’m sure I agree with

OP posts:
Original poster
JemilyJ · 20/08/2019 21:26

Forgot my question!
Is this common and is it CFery or not?

OP posts:
8by8 · 20/08/2019 21:27

I don’t think that’s CF really.

Running a group is a lot of work.

It’s her job, she needs to be paid something in order to keep doing it.

FuckAPotNoodle · 20/08/2019 21:29

I think if it is work it doesn’t run on donations; charities run on donations.

8by8 · 20/08/2019 21:30

Some work does run on donations actually - the guardian newspaper relies on donations to keep going.

sundaylast · 20/08/2019 21:33

My husband has serious medical conditions I'm in many support groups about his condition as is he and we have never paid money for people running fb groups. There is an official charity that has a fb page and they link to give donations but so do some of the other groups if you so wish. Why don't you offer to be a moderator see if they are needing help?

Original poster
JemilyJ · 20/08/2019 21:46

@sundaylast several people had offered to mod before I saw the thread and were declined as it’s to do with it being her job and needing to support herself, not to do with needing more help.

OP posts:
FredaFox · 20/08/2019 21:47

My mum pays an annual donation to an established charity for her condition, she gets things sent quarterly she also goes to a weekly local group run by volunteers, she pays £2 a week which includes 2 hot drinks and biscuits
The group fundraise with weekly raffles and annual awareness eventS
this sounds like an unofficial thing, is she sending out leaflets etc or is she just managing a Facebook group? If so she’s a cf

Original poster
JemilyJ · 20/08/2019 22:03

It’s just a facebook group and website and occasionally she sells awareness raising merchandise.

I think what gets me is there’s nothing obvious when you join about this.

OP posts:
Bookworm4 · 20/08/2019 22:04

That’s CF, running a FB group costs nothing, it’s her choice, let her go I doubt it’s the only source of info on the condition.

Gingerkittykat · 20/08/2019 22:13

It sounds like CFery to me.

Running a group with 1500 people is not a full time job. If she wants donations she can make it an official charity.

I would be tempted to set up my own group and have peers share resources.

LittleLongDog · 20/08/2019 22:13

I get that it takes a lot of time to run a fb group. BUT if she chooses to flounce and delete the group then some members could easily start another group together and share the time/effort/responsibility of running it.

She doesn’t have the monopoly on fb support groups so she’s a bit of an idiot for pushing the donations so much.

SteeperThanHell · 20/08/2019 22:16

Don’t pay a penny - running a facebook group is not a job and like you’ve already said there is no shortage of people offering to help.

Join a different group or start your own.

Original poster
JemilyJ · 20/08/2019 22:35

Oh I’m not paying anything. But the amount of people saying they will is huge.

OP posts:
Andylion · 20/08/2019 23:12

But she’s now threatening if she doesn’t raise enough money she’ll have to delete the FB group because running it is what she does as a business.

Does she already make money from it? How?

FishyMcFishyfingersFace · 21/08/2019 01:32

So she runs a FB group as a job.

Asks for money from people who use the group to pay her.

Then she threatens to close the group if she doesn't get enough in donations.

Way to go to lose your source of income - closing the group you're asking for donations from.

managedmis · 21/08/2019 01:37

I don't see how she can make money from it? Fbook will make money from it, yes, but not her?

PotterHead1985 · 21/08/2019 02:04

Sounds a LOT like a fb group I was in for my condition. Woman was on a power trip. I left.

Original poster
JemilyJ · 21/08/2019 09:01

As far as I know she’s made some money from manufacturers of products related to the condition providing some sponsorship of the website, not sure she’s made any from FB.

OP posts:
Ronia · 21/08/2019 09:13

@8by8

Some work does run on donations actually - the guardian newspaper relies on donations to keep going.

Not strictly true. The Guardian is owned by a trust which pays for it to keep going 'in perpetuity'. It is a profit seeking organisation though and in order to keep going without rapidly depleting the trust's cash reserves (which it was for a while) it asks for donations in addition to its commercial activity. It doesn't solely rely on donations to pay it's staff or run its business though and the donation structure is pretty new.

OP it does sound like she's almost setting herself up an a charity influencer, for want of a better term - taking sponsorship, donations and testing and reviewing products. If you're not going to donate then good for you but I guess there's not much you can do about it.

feesh · 21/08/2019 09:17

She’s an idiot. On Facebook, you and your data are the product, but only Facebook profit from it.

FractalChaos · 21/08/2019 09:23

Sounds like she is trying to change it into a subscription group. There are two ways of doing this. 1) run it through the FB subscription service - they take a cut. OR 2) run it privately and only allow access to those who have paid/been vetted on their system - these are often offered as 'bonus' groups to those who have paid for a product/service.

Paid FB groups are very common! They were around before FB offered the service but then obviously FB saw an opportunity and cashes in on the 'ease' of creating one (whilst skimming the top!)

The probem here is she is trying to shut the gate after the horse has bolted. So she is trying to transfer it over AFTER the group was already set up. What she could do, to actually run it as a business, is set up an offshoot group that is a paid sub. The problem here is that as it is paid, people expect a LOT more! So, it isn't CF'ery as such, but she has done about it arse around!

I am in two paid subgroups - well I was, I have just left one as it wasn't offering the value that was promised. The one I am in is FABULOUS and well worth the investment!

Original poster
JemilyJ · 21/08/2019 09:25

@FractalChaos what do you get from the paid groups and how much do they charge?

OP posts:
8by8 · 21/08/2019 09:30

@Ronia - thanks for that explanation, I hadn’t understood exactly how the guardian donations thing works, what you say makes more sense.

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