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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to not understand why people are obsessed with facebook?

76 replies

dingledangle · 14/12/2009 16:48

Just wanted to start a thread to say that I really do not understand peoples obsession with facebook. Am I alone in this?

DD has recently started school and it has opened up a whole new world of people inviting others to be friends on facebook and so forth.

I don't understand it all. I have never been very interested in computers and internet stuff. I only found MN last year. This is a choice and I appreciate others choose to use Facebook but I just wonder how many hours people spend on this stuff each day.

TBH if I was on Facebook and MN I would never get anything else done.

Is it unreasonable to not sign on to Facebook?

OP posts:
lovechoc · 15/12/2009 13:39

that is true, posts on here are easily found on Google.

You don't need to register to look at someone's Twitter page at all. I can look at several people's Twitter page without being a member of Twitter. But yes, with FB you need to register and log in to use it and see info.

Shodan · 15/12/2009 13:47

But where else can you play Bouncing Balls?

Pikelit · 15/12/2009 13:49

Let's not even mention Bejeweled Blitz...

Shodan · 15/12/2009 13:52

No indeed, Pikelit. Let's not.

JjandtheBean · 15/12/2009 13:53

YANBU

i personally love facebook, i have a large amount of family on the other side of the world and now they see pics of my dcs at a click instead of waiting ages for emails to upload them!

The privacy settings on facebook when found and used correctly are brilliant!

TreeFuses · 15/12/2009 14:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

IfYouCouldWouldYou · 15/12/2009 15:11

"MN on the other hand means you are anon, no one knows about your life, who you are. That's the beauty of using a forum. You have no real commitment to 'updating' anything. On FB people expect you to update what you are doing. Forums are not really used like that."

lovechoc I totally agree with you, i choose when and where to disclose any personal info if i so wish.

rockbird There are many reasons why i don't use it, but theres no right and wrong here and its not a case of anti FB smuggery. Its a personal choice, some use it, some don't. I dont care either way what others do

And again i have to quote lovechoc (you talk sense!!)

I don't like and I won't be joining, so yes it is that simple

deaddei · 15/12/2009 15:41

I don't understand FB, Twitter- it takes me all my time to go on MN!
I did Friends Reunited years ago, but had some very strange emails from people I didn't like in 1980, and sure as hell didn't like the 30 years on.
But I'm a person who has yet to master texting and how to get callback on her (very basic) mobile...

curryfreak · 15/12/2009 16:28

Facebook is for people who have no life and no real friends.

Kaloki · 15/12/2009 16:30

"Facebook is for people who have no life and no real friends."

But you're not judging right?

SerenityNowAKABleh · 15/12/2009 16:37

Well, as my family is spread over four continents, it is quite useful. I have cousins in another country who we haven't really managed to maintain contact with for years, and now it's much easier! They post photos all the time and what not, and now the family over here knows that one of them has been having a really difficult time, so my Dad is going out to see them for the first time in 20 odd years. It has brought us closer together.

Though I can't abide annoying people who give constant updates. ARGH.

ooojimaflip · 15/12/2009 17:14

Your level of use of Facebook is not correlated with your worth as a person. The amount you talk about it, however, is.

ooojimaflip · 15/12/2009 17:15

Your level of use of Facebook is not correlated with your worth as a person. The amount you talk about it, however, is.

ooojimaflip · 15/12/2009 17:16

Oops double post. Triple now I guess.

Awassailinglookingforanswers · 15/12/2009 17:17

oh and lets not forget the various farms and cafes

lovechoc · 15/12/2009 17:24

curryfreak you talk sense aswell!

CupOChristmasCheerfulYank · 15/12/2009 17:30

I have lots of real friends, actually, and I love facebook. I think it's fun to reconnect with old friends, and it's a good way for family to see pics of DS.

But if you aren't into it YAcertainlyNBU not to use it. Who cares?

Kaloki · 15/12/2009 17:38

You know, some people would suggest that anyone who engages in conversations with people online a lot have no life and no friends.

Niecie · 15/12/2009 17:41

YANBU I suppose although I do wonder how anybody can express an opinion on how terrible it is and at the same time say they know nothing about and don't understand it (not necessarily you OP but others who have posted).

Don't sign up if it doesn't appeal but don't judge others who have if you don't really know what it is they do.

FWIW I have rediscovered a really good friend from college that I have always regretted not managing to stay in touch with(our lives went in very different directions). However, it is now great to be able to chat to her on FB and we have even met up again even though we live in different towns now. It has been worth it just for that.

However, I rarely feel the urge to post updates. Mainly I use it for games and to chat. There is no harm in it. Well, no more harm than there is being on MN.

TreeFuses · 15/12/2009 18:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Kaloki · 15/12/2009 20:58

Means people can feel all superior TreeFuses

MirandaAnn · 15/12/2009 21:19

I had facebook for a couple of years, but it got to a point where I had 500+ friends, from school/college/work etc, and I started logging on just out of habit and I began to feel that I didn't want all of these people in my lounge on a Tuesday night! I didn't want that many people at the forefront of my mind and I certainly didn't want all of those people watching my every move and seeing all of my pictures. I considered deleting certain people but in the end I just decided to delete it, I was also tired of the responsibilty of having to write back to people when I just had nothing to say. My friends were of course outraged and one called me on her break at work saying that her and 'the girls' may struggle with it because 'darling, it's our main method of communication'! Bloody hell, call me if you want me! I have however heard a lot less from them since, it seems any other way of communication is just far too much effort
It's not for everyone!

nannynobnobs · 15/12/2009 23:11

I like it for the reason others have stated- I have family members in Shetland, Switzerland, Australia and the USA not to mention scattered across the country. I can add new photos of the dds for them to see- particularly for my grands in Shetland as my nanny is very ill- and I'm kept up to date with other new arrivals in the family.
It is also nice to keep up with friends who socialise in RL more than I can. My best friend lives around 10-15 miles away so we can keep well up to date with each other every day online. She's commuting to uni and has two dcs, I'm a SAHM with two dcs and we haven't been able to meet in person for over a month.

katnkittens · 16/12/2009 01:10

YABU

lovechoc · 16/12/2009 10:39

mirandaann that's exactly why FB is so impersonal. too many people know your business at any given time. 500+ friends?! bloody hell!

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