Has anyone else noticed the Facebook pandemic lately?
It seems like recently there have been alot of postings about issues that are being caused by Facebook
1. Ex in-laws friending BM's
2. Skids under required FB age having accounts
3. BM's posting comments that attack Exes and Steps
4. BM's getting mad that Steps have posted pics of Skids.
5. BM's asking Steps to be "friends" and vice versa
6. People deleting people
7. Inapropriate messages being sent/received
I'm problaby missing some, but does anybody else see the beginning of the end for Facebook? I seriously think that within the next year or so people are going to leave the site in droves because of all the drama, stalking, mis-use etc.
I never joined Myspace because I thought it was just that.. a drama filled place, where pedophiles and psychos stalked people and teens and tweens carried on their daily drama. I was reluctant to join FB, but some friends talked me into it so I did for different reasons, like I enjoy seeing that it's people's birthday's and being able to wish them a good day (as I am terrible about remembering everyone's b-day!!) I like that I can post pics and all of my friends and family can see them (rather than sending a bazillion emails to people), I like that I cansend a quick note to someone, etc. But I think that FB is the "new Myspace" and I think that all of the nonsense that was on Myspace has creeped over to FB and I am seriously thinking about deleting my whole stupid page and being done with it.
It just sucks that the "bad apples" always have to ruin it for everyone else. :?
Facebook is what you use it
Facebook is what you use it for.
It's insane to me that grown-ups get involved in facebook drama. My account has nothing but pictures and information about my family and friends. It's a way that my parents, DH's parents, our siblings, etc.... can share information. That's it.
My kids all have facebook pages. I rarely, rarely, rarely post to their pages. My teenagers do not need mom/stepmom posting on their pages. I do monitor the accounts of my 9, 14, and 16 year olds. My 17 year old is nearly an adult. I don't check his. Obviously, I don't check up on my college kid.
I just do not understand how grow-ups get sucked into facebook wars, unfriending, blocking, all that nonsense.
I think Facebook will run
I think Facebook will run it's course just like everything else does online. Windows comes out with a bigger & better every year or so. New laptops come out & leave the older ones obsolete. Myspace was big at one time. I believe Facebook has taken a lot of those users away. At some point, Facebook will be replaced by something newer, fancier, & better. Like any other site, Facebook is what you allow it to be. People only get the information you're willing to share.
I have my family & personal friends on my Facebook page. I live on the East coast. My parents & siblings are scattered around the mid-west & west coast. I use Facebook to stay updated with what & how my family is doing, & to see pictures of their families as they grow. As a rule I don't "friend" co-workers or friends of friends.
I have posted here & admit that I do take advantage of BM's naivety with the internet, & her eagerness to "friend" any man who requests her to keep up with what DH's kids are involved in as we no longer have contact with them.
I did not know that FB had an
I did not know that FB had an age requirement (or did I just misunderstand that statement?)
I have a FB, I got it when my high school class started planning our 20th reunion and that's where we posted information about meetings, ticket sales, etc. I keep it now because, like mom2five, it enables me to stay in touch with my family that is spread from one end of the States to the other.
I recently gave my stb14 year old daughter permission to get a FB, but as with everything else in her life, there were rules that she has to abide by. I got the password to her account because she didn't want mom to be a friend--that's fine, I had given her the choice of one or the other. No password changes without letting me know. No posting birthdates, school information, address, etc. No using pics of other kids in the family for profile pics. No sending/accepting friend requests that don't have a picture of someone you know. If someone makes her uncomfortable, she must let me know immediately. She also only gets to be on FB for however long I decide each night..and only after homework/studying is done. DD had an issue a couple years ago where she went on a school approved website that had a chat room. I was more naive about that stuff then, I thought...school approved..all they will talk about is school stuff-right? Nope...wrong...nu-huh. My DD was sexually propositioned in a chat room on a school sponsored website. I think it scared her more to think that it could have been someone at her school saying that stuff to her, but it was a site that many schools across Texas used. I forced her school to stop using the site because of it. So, anyhow...I know that because of that happening, DD is a little more willing to follow my rules without question...at least in this area of her life.
that's funny, when I signed
that's funny, when I signed up it was MY 20th reunion time... and one of my best friends told me to sign up because alot of our classmates were on there. We were part of the reunion committee and we too used FB to post info, send invites, track people down etc.
Again, I enjoy FB and try to stay out of the drama but it just ticks me off when SS or SD say something about my pics or my FB (they are not my "friends") so that means that they and/or BM are stalking me.. that's the kind of crap that makes me want to delete it.. why can't people just mind their own business?????
I use it sparingly and even
I use it sparingly and even then just to put up pics so family can see it. I don't post often. I do however monitor my 15 year old. I don't comment on him, but I do log in as him and using his password monitor what is going on. If I see something I don't like of one of his friends, I ask about it and if I don't like the answer I have asked him to defriend them. Does he have to? No, but it makes him aware that I don't approve. I trust my son, I don't trust the 350 friends he has on facebook.
I did defriend SD14 when it was apparent that by my seeing everything she did, I disapproved. No one wanted to hear my warnings, not BM or DH. So I blocked her and it was the best thing for my marriage at the time. Now, she is still friends with my BS and I can see her that way. Now, I only print it if the lawyer thinks it is worth doing so. Otherwise, I don't comment to DH and I don't follow her. But, unfortunately, she is on Facebook 24/7 and even logging in as my son 1x a week, I can still see multiple things that she is doing that DH would flip about.
If you use it sparingly, it can be a great communication tool, but if you friend people like BM's that you shouldn't then you asked for the problems and sorry but you deserve it.
I like facebook. I have no
I like facebook. I have no drama there. BM, to my knowledge, does not have a facebook-if she did i wouldnt be her friend. I rarely have time for the news-so it helps me keep up on the news around the country and locally. If I need some help with something, someone will usually step in offer advice. My dh needed boxes one day and someone offered him some so he went and picked them up.
My kids 13,11,8 all have facebooks. My 11 and 8 year old mostly just play the silly games. My 13 year old is on it as much as we allow her to be. I have all their passwords-I check my 13 year old's page daily. I even get online on my computer when she is on hers and I can see the messages she is sending back and forth to people. I also post on her page regularly. I also post on her friends pages. Around my area everyone does. It has been a great way for me to get to know her friends better-it also helps me to see who has a bad attitude or a filty mouth.
I made one for ss12-he only ended up having it for a couple of months. One morning i woke up to his status, "F it. I hate everyone". He completely and absolutely deneis posting this and I know he doesn't have internet access in his home-however his grandma does, I'm sure some of his friends do-so I've always been suspicious. Anyway someone reported the foul language and his page has been shut down.
I see your point! Personally
I see your point! Personally i stay out of any drama and don't have any drama ridden friends-well there are a few but I just "hide" them
I know many people do get caught up in that nonsense, adults. A shame. I don't have my exh on my friends-but his sister and my nephews/nieces (his brothers kids) are my friends. They live in another country and this is how they keep in touch with our kids pics and such.
My bf doesn't even have a FB or Myspace-he thinks it's for idiots and it can invite a whole lot of trouble/problems..lol-can't blame him.
I know some people sign up their kids earlier-I've chosen not to-they will be no younger then the 14 age requirement. For many many reasons. IMO it can get kids involved in too much drama, possible cyber bullying, in addition there's already an issue kids getting addicted to computers/games and it's something I've had to watch-especially my younges with sites like Roblox.
I think it's a detriment to adults much more so for kids-who learn to socialize mostly/mainly online instead of real life interaction and playing w/their peers. Adds to the disconnected society dysfunciton we currently have. Not something I want them to have issues with right now. I think at 14 it's still a mistake honestly.
My DH doesn't care to have
My DH doesn't care to have one either. Of course, we are no more than 15 minutes away from any of his family. We don't have internet at home, & his job has nothing to with it. I wouldn't say he's computer illiterate, but her certainly isn't up with the current things computer-wise. He freaked when I mentioned setting up a profile. Of course, he hears about the people who hook up online & assumes that that's what everyone does. We get online when we go to his sister's house & I'll show him who I've added or who's added what pics, etc. It helps him understand it a little bit better. LOL!
"I wouldn't say he's computer
"I wouldn't say he's computer illiterate, but her certainly isn't up with the current things computer-wise"
LOL-I'll say it mine is computer illiterate pretty much...or my 9yr old can kick his ass haha!
Honestly though in some ways I think his "old school" way of thinking is so much healhtier really. And even stranger is he's only 30. It's one of the things and differences in your typical guy that I really like about him. He's not your average sports freak or tv remote hog or video game addict either. Plenty of attention for me though so I'm not complaining
It really probably is
It really probably is healthier. I keep FB pulled up for the bulk of my 8-hour work day. Between ST & FB, I carry a whole lot more home with me than he does. He comes home from work & talks about...work. I come home from work & talk about what all our friends & family are doing, their newest pics, what I've picked up from ST that day, etc. He's an excavator. He digs in dirt. He talks about how much dirt he dug, & if it was extra dusty or extra muddy. While my mind is whirling with what everybody else is doing. LOL!
Thank you overit...that's one
Thank you overit...that's one topic I did forget to cover with my DD, cyber bullying. I did talk to her about telling me if she is made to feel uncomfortable, but I think we were both thinking about sexual topics.
Thanks again!
It's such a scary topic-i
It's such a scary topic-i mean shoot we see it here as adults...kids can be brutal with it.
Imagine that if bullying is already bad at those ages-even MORE so when hidden behind a computer. I have a few of my friends teens and young adults on my friends list-and oh my gosh the drama. Especially for girls!
In this day and age it's very predominant...there have been quite a few kids that have committed suicide over it. Not long ago there was a horrific story about an 11 year old taking his life over bullying (combination of in school and online). Heartwrenching to say the very least. There seems to be much more awareness these days. I would hope schools will start addressing it also since so many interactions take place online instead of in person now.