As we approach
the end of a year which many of us would rather forget, I’d like to take a
brief look back at that final post, especially as my reasons haven’t changed.
In fact, with some of the anti-vaxxer nonsense being perpetrated on social media,
I’m even more convinced that my decision to ignore Facebook, was the right one.
Since its
inception and launch in 2004 as a social networking site, Facebook has become a
global phenomenon, and is now the largest social network in the world, with
more than one billion users. Founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg has obviously amassed
quite a fortune in the process – not that there’s anything wrong with that in
itself, it’s just the fact that what started out into a platform where people
can connect with one another, has now morphed into an out of control monster whose
influence now extends into the very heart of government.
When Mrs PBT’s
was seriously ill three years ago, and in intensive care, the site proved invaluable for posting
bulletins and sharing updates on her progress, amongst family and friends. These
Facebook updates saved me from having to make numerous phone calls or texts to
all those who were anxious about Eileen’s condition and keen to learn how she
was recovering.
So far, so
good, but it wasn’t long afterwards that I began to notice a dark side to the social
media giant that, had I bothered to look, had been lurking in the background for
some time. I’m referring here to Facebook’s all-pervasive nature, and the way
it encourages people to share or like certain items and events.
These are
harmless enough if they’re photos of puppies or kittens, even if they are more than
a little cringeworthy, but when the items being shared are stories and information
that are obviously false, then the site becomes a platform for fake news and misinformation
that is potentially dangerous, especially when targeted at gullible people or individuals
who are easily manipulated.
Similar
allegations were made against the government of Russian President, Vladimir
Putin, during the US Presidential elections from the same year. Facebook of
course, vehemently denied such allegations, although as Mandy Rice-Davies
famously said, “Well they would, wouldn’t they?
The site has also
become home to all sorts of fringe activists and out and out crackpots, ranging
from umpteen conspiracy-theory groups, to science-deniers, such as anti-vaxxers.
Sometimes they’re combined – Bill Gates will use the Corona vaccine, to inject micro-chips
into people, in order to control them. Or, at the start of the pandemic, the
virus is being spread by 5G phone masts!
But serious
though these charges are, it’s the things that are going on at a much lower on the
social media network that is of far more concern. Sharing trivia such as photos
of cuddly puppies or cute babies is relatively harmless, even if it is a detachment
from the real world, but when the intention behind sharing is to shame people,
then the whole thing takes on a far more sinister turn.
Worse still are the “keyboard warriors,”
quick to post a cutting comment or quip, without having bothered to read the
facts, safe in the knowledge that there will be no comeback on their hurtful,
insulting or even racist remarks. I appreciate that this “cyber-bullying” is
actively discouraged by Facebook’s administrators and compliance people, yet it
still goes on.
This, along with all the other
negativity Facebook attracts, is enough to do anyone’s head in. It was
certainly doing in mine; even though I regard myself as a positive,
level-headed and pretty much together sort of person. What sort of effect would
all this be having on a person with low self-esteem or suffering from mental
health issues?
So, apart from the occasional quick
glance, I’ve given Facebook a complete miss these past nine months. I feel much
better without a daily social-media fix; in fact, I would go so far as to say
that since avoiding the site, my mood has lifted considerably. I also consider
that my mental health and general well-being have improved no end, despite the
gloom surrounding Coronavirus and an impending “no-deal Brexit.”
There’s no blame
attached to the people who originally developed Facebook. I’m certain they did
so with the best of intentions. It is implausible to believe that, even in their
wildest dreams, they could have imagined the site becoming the success it has
become today. It’s naïve too to think they could have contemplated the increasingly
bad effect the site is having on the world population, and the ability of people
to be properly informed and think for themselves.
11 comments:
I've had a Facebook account for nine years, but try to confine my posts to personal and humorous stuff. It can become very toxic once you get into discussing politics, especially with people you know in real life. And the atmosphere in some local discussion groups can become highly unpleasant.
I find Twitter much better for controversial stuff as your audience is to a much greater extent self-selecting.
I’ve had my Facebook account for slightly longer than you Mudge, but even without all the controversial stuff I referred to in the post, I found I was using it less and less. I’m sure that Twitter would be more appropriate, but there are only so many hours in the day, and apart from updates about where friends might be drinking, or what they are drinking, I see little use for yet another site that demands my regular attention.
What annoyed me more than anything else about Facebook, was after starting a Beer & Travel Facebook page, linked to my blog, I was blocked from posting on it, as the page had been reported for containing “inappropriate content.” I was unable to resolve this issue, but to add insult to injury, FB kept sending reminders that I hadn’t posted on the page for a while!
The bottom line is, I will use the site, very selectively, to catch up with family – most of my friends were either never members in the first place or, like me have become disillusioned with Facebook.
Yes, I created a Pub Curmudgeon page and found it wouldn't allow me to link to my blog, although I could post other things. There was also no obvious means of appeal. I suspect it was due to swearing in the comments.
It's now sorted itself out, but I don't think many people read it as I get virtually no feedback.
I think Facebook is basically trying to do several different things at the same time and not doing any of them very well.
Don't blame you at all, Paul.
I only joined Facebook so I could access pub accounts, often but not always the default site for opening times.
I've never posted on Facebook. I think my blog posts used to post there years ago but that suddenly stopped.
You’ve gotten a little risqué for Facebook RM.
Apparently, Facebook is "old hat" amongst the younger generation, with Instagram, Snap Chat and probably other platforms that I've never heard of, being the preferred options.
As with every "fad" its lifecycle will be limited, although I don't see that happening, any time soon!
I've never got involved with social media - it always struck me that it was a way for private interests to gather vast quantities of data about people, and that what they might do with that would be anyone's guess.
Well, now we know, don't we?
Google does a pretty good job when it comes to tracking people’s movements, and interests. There’s a message on my phone this morning, asking me, all innocently, whether I know this place (clue, it’s my workplace), and to share my experiences.
It also seems to know every shop, retail park and petrol station I’ve visited over the past couple of weeks!
I never get any alerts of that kind whatsoever. Obviously you have some setting turned on that I haven't.
If you have a Mac then you can tick a box for "prevent cross-site tracking" on your browser.
I also use Bing or Yahoo to search generally.
I regularly delete all the many Google cookies which come as third party from lots of sites.
I don't get too much personalised pushing.
There's definitely a setting of some sort on my phone Mudge, but I don't know how to turn it off. It's a Chinese phone, so perhaps it's not Google that I ought to be concerned about!!
Etu, my new PC has Microsoft Edge as its default browser, and Edge uses Bing as its search engine.
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