People living their lives through Facebook/Mobiles etc

gunsandbanjos

I like Facebook, but I do remove people who annoy me with the crap they post from my newsfeed. That way I'm still friends with them but I don't need to see the nonsense they feel the need to share.

I was in hospital with my daughter the other week and there was a little boy in the bed opposite whose dad was one of the chaviest people I've seen in a long time. He spent nearly the whole 3 days we were there glued to his phone ignoring his child (he was about 18 months/2 ish). His little boy was upset and in pain and the nurses had to do everything as he barely moved out his chair to help. I also overheard him telling his partner he was just going to update his FB status to let everyone know he was in hospital with his son, I wanted to strangle him he was so irritating! He sat and played noisy games on his phone at 9/10 at night when the ward was quiet and kids were trying to sleep.

I was reading about an inquest into the death of a 10 year old boy recently, he was killed by a car as he had wandered into the road without looking as he was too engrossed in his mobile. Driver who was one of his school teachers was totally exonerated, he just walked straight in front of the car.

Netwizard

I do upload my holiday snaps to Facebook. I think that way if my camera breaks or something happens to my computer, I have a backup of them online on facebook, but the privacy of my pictures is set to "me only" so only I can see them!

Wouldn't want everyone else mooching through them!

skattykatty

I suppose it's like any tool-not really a problem in itself, it's how you choose to use it that counts. I stopped looking at facebook several years ago. I rarely logged in and when I did I just trawled through random meaningless messages about just put the kids to bed, having a glass of wine, just played this game...yawnnnnn....anyway...I messaged everyone to say this is my email address, I won't be on facebook again, would love to hear your news.............................NOTHING! Haven't heard a peep out of any of them and the only way for me to get in touch is on facebook so...bye bye 'friends'...Also helps that I don't have a smartphone...

Tiddlywinks

I don't use Facebook because I don't want my life viewed as a soap opera... however, that does make it harder to keep up to date with things as friends just assume everyone has access and so all the stuff that used to be shared over coffee is now just 'announced' with the assumption that everyone is there just waiting for the message.

Sadly, I've even heard of an unexpected bereavement being posted to the extended family via Facebook rather than a call... that is just a step too far.

I also worry about ownership of the data:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/social-media/9780565/Facebook-terms-and-conditions-why-you-dont-own-your-online-life.html

daisiegg

skattykatty wrote: »

I suppose it's like any tool-not really a problem in itself, it's how you choose to use it that counts. I stopped looking at facebook several years ago. I rarely logged in and when I did I just trawled through random meaningless messages about just put the kids to bed, having a glass of wine, just played this game...yawnnnnn....anyway...I messaged everyone to say this is my email address, I won't be on facebook again, would love to hear your news.............................NOTHING! Haven't heard a peep out of any of them and the only way for me to get in touch is on facebook so...bye bye 'friends'...Also helps that I don't have a smartphone...

I completely disagree with this attitude! It is about moving with the times. As lots of people have mentioned it is entirely possible to use Facebook in a non annoying, non offensive way, just to interact with close friends and family. You can 'hide' irritating people from your newsfeed and you don't have to put anything on there at all.

To say that someone is no longer your friend because they don't make the effort to get in touch with you in a way other than FB, despite the fact that FB is clearly how they plan social events and share news, just strikes me as being a bit silly. It is like going back 50 years or whatever to when people started using telephones and saying 'well my friends are all organising the weekly bridge club (or whatever!) by the telephone now but I refuse to use a telephone so I want them to still send me details in the post. Oh they are not doing it? They are no longer friends of mine!'

Just seems like cutting your nose off to spite your face to me....

skattykatty

Hi daisyegg...totally get where you're coming from and touched that you are so exercised by my 'cutting' myself off. The only current contact I had on facebook is someone I still communicate with and if/when I have the time/inclination to get in touch with people from my past I'm sure I'll find a way to do so. I think we agree that it's HOW people use facebook that matters.

There are a plethora of ways to keep in touch with people now, which is great if you choose to do so. That is the key isn't it? Choice. If you are on facebook and that is how you plan your social life then great! I don't and, actually, neither do my friends. We use the oudated telephone and we text. Call me old-fashioned and so 20th century!

daisiegg

skattykatty wrote: »

Hi daisyegg...totally get where you're coming from and touched that you are so exercised by my 'cutting' myself off. The only current contact I had on facebook is someone I still communicate with and if/when I have the time/inclination to get in touch with people from my past I'm sure I'll find a way to do so. I think we agree that it's HOW people use facebook that matters.

There are a plethora of ways to keep in touch with people now, which is great if you choose to do so. That is the key isn't it? Choice. If you are on facebook and that is how you plan your social life then great! I don't and, actually, neither do my friends. We use the oudated telephone and we text. Call me old-fashioned and so 20th century!

Oh ok, well your post sounded like you had cut yourself off from a load of friends just because they used Facebook - sorry I misunderstood! glad the rest of your friends are more like minded

Threebabes

Someone on facebook updating their status on their wedding day too inform everyone what a fantastic day they were having!! Put your phone down .... go and enjoy your very expensive day.

Netwizard

oh dear: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/north-carolina-woman-dies-behind-wheel-texting-happy-article-1.1769965

She won't be doing that again!

skattykatty

daisiegg wrote: »

Oh ok, well your post sounded like you had cut yourself off from a load of friends just because they used Facebook - sorry I misunderstood! glad the rest of your friends are more like minded

No worries daisyegg! And Thanks This online stuff is difficult to decipher sometimes...we don't get tone of voice or facial expressions or gestures...