To ask what you people actually use Facebook for??!

[anythingwithagiraffeonit]

Recently I've seen threads saying how no one writes how they love DH / can't wait to see him etc on Facebook. People hate that apparently.

Then I saw one about how people hate when people announce pregnancy / write about pregnancy / post pictures of children...

A few people wrote 'can't stand people who go on and on about their lives!'

So what exactly is it okay to do??

Sounded unnecessarily harsh!

Wasn't supposed to - I'm actually interested!

I really can't see the point of FB at all so I'm no help. It just sounds all so childish though.

I use it as a tool to spy on other MNetters.
Hth.

It's there so people can gloat about what a wonderful, exciting life they have. Or they use it to moan about how shit their lives are...

I like it to keep in touch casually with people I probably wouldn't phomne - I use it to share photos etc.

erm ... voyeurism mainly! Rarely put anything on there myself as feel quite uncomfortable about revealing much about my life to people that actually I don't really 'know' (going to school with them 20 years ago doesn't really mean I know them now!) ... but do love to check out what everyone else is doing!! haha

gallifrey is 100% right. FB is a gloat/moan machine.

Love FB. Quick way of staying in touch with lots of friends at same time, particularly those who aren't local. It saves having to type long emails, repeating same stuff over again etc. I use it a bit like I'd imagine you would chat over a garden fence just in passing.

yh bit of spying/stalking

but i have searched for/been found by umpteen old friends (some from old school days) and we have met up and kept in touch.i love it for that.

I have family and friends on the other side of the world that would be difficult to regularly phone due to cost/time difference etc so its a nice way of staying in touch, sharing photos etc with them.

Nothing childish about that.

I don't facebook or twatter and i believe that everyone over the age of 15 who does has no life- harsh but true.

If these people are really your friends then pick up the phone or better yet leave the house and go see them

cheers wait

I just presume that the people on these threads complaining about it actually have Facebook? Otherwise, how would they see so and so proclaiming their love for DH or announcing pregnancy...

It just seems a bit hypocritical. What do they use it for if they don't do any if the things that seem to make them so mad??!

(I must confess... I love Facebook! I'm addicted.)

anythingwithagiraffeonit...

I don't think there is a specific set of rules tbh, some people just like having a moan and don't see the need in people displaying their lives across the internet - but IMO those people should just block & delete and say no more about it.

I use FB to keep in touch with friends & rellies in scotland, without the hassle of phoning everyone, when it could be inconvenient etc...

DH however only uses it to keep up to date with music, bands, gigs etc - he never accepts friend requests.

I do however follow my own rules:

Never announce anything on FB without telling the concerned people face to face, personally etc first.
Never say when you're on holiday and leaving the house empty
Never give chapter and verse about what you had for breakfast etc etc
Never tell DH I love him (I am his only friend on FB) because he wouldn't appreciate it
Always restrict viewing of photos to friends only.
Check security settings regular

I don't care what other people post tbh, and wouldn't be arsed enough to start a thread on it. If I saw something I didn't like then I'd just hide it.

I reckon when people start threads like that it's just a slow day on MN and something better will eventually come along to talk about.

I use it to share photos with numerous people at the same time, and organise events which will be attended by multiple people. It helps me to keep in contact with people who live abroad.

It is hardly controversial.

Wait - tricky when they are scattered across the Globe.

I use it to keep up with friends and family I don't see very often and I play a game called sorority life which I am absolutely addicted to sad but true :o

I use it to keep in touch with distant and not so distant relatives and friends.

It is great to have the occasional chat to my cousins - we always used to say we'd phone/write/meet up, but never got round to it.

Also now in regular contact with a group of friends that we only saw a couple of times a year and have been able to organise meeting up more often. :)

... to talk pish to my workmates (not while in the same room as them, when we are not on shift together)

...to put up 4 million pictures of DS for his GPs and other relatives who don't see him as often as they'd like.

... to chat to/organise meeting local friends ( we all work at different times so can't always just pop round easily)

...our toddler group has a page which is handy for organising cover, or who needs to bring some raisins without phoning lots of people.

No moaning or gloating I don't think?

My privacy settings are friends only for everything and I am quite choosy about who I add - if I haven't spoken to you since school, I probably don't want to...

I do know a serial moaner/gloater though so i know what you mean!

I like FB - I wouldn't phone or email my nephews for instance, but since fb I am more involved in their lives and vice versa.

Its also a way of being in much closer touch with people who live a good distance away than would be possible otherwise

Spying.

I don't update my status much but comment on what other people write, share news, photos, views. Also I use it to promote PTFA events.

I much prefer Twitter though.

I just get a bit confused by people who moan about it constantly... Yet are on there themselves. Hmmm...