Monday, February 28, 2011

Facebook Pet Peeves

Last night I watched The Social Network. Facebook may have had a movie made about it, but that's not such a big deal. You don't really arrive until you have a post dedicated to you on Chaka's World. You can find my official review of the movie at The Movie Guy.

I like Facebook because to me it's like a giant online Rolodex that gives me access to most people I know. I still have about 4 friends who are holding out on it and refuse to join for some reason. Maybe because they don't want to be rounded up and sent to the government prison camps. (You thought FB was just a social media program?) Anyway, as much as I like Facebook, I have some pet peeves about it which I will share below.

Chat- It may be handy at times, but usually I find myself being asked "What's up?" by people who don't really have anything to say. I hate being interrupted and feeling obligated to carry on a superficial conversation.

Poking- Whoever came up with this feature should be punished. The annoying cousins of poking are having virtual snowballs or pillows fights.

Games- I hate getting invitations for games involving vampires, farmers, mafia, zombies, fairies, etc. I already waste enough time online as it is.

Excessive Updates- We don't need to know what you eat every meal or any details about the frequency of your bowel movements. If you need to report every single detail about your life get a Twitter account.

Being Tagged in Photos- Occasionally someone might post a nice photo of you, but I frequently see people tagged in embarrassing high school date pictures or old poor quality photos.

The Hacking Threat- I fell for a message that my cousin sent me about a funny picture of me she had posted. Someone had hacked her account and I was dumb enough to click on the link and as a result, my account was sending out similar stuff to my contacts the next day.

Despite these annoying items, most of my friends make Facebook an entertaining experience. I appreciate those who post meaningful, witty, or entertaining stuff. Facebook may be a site that gives us a false sense of friendship where we practice superficial social skills, but it I still like it...sometimes.

8 comments:

Kristina P. said...

I don't understand poking, and I've never played a game.

My brother doesn't like FB and doesn't like Mark Zuckerburg, but he realized that it really is how people are connecting. So he made a fake name profile. It's so weird.

Cheeseboy said...

I have the exact same pet peeves. I always WORRY that I am posting too much. Is 1-2 times a day too excessive? I always try and make my posts funny.

Are we facebook friends? We should be! I would love to sit and chat with you for hours.

Tom said...

Cheeseboy, Twice a day updates are not excesive. I see some people who update their status on the hour. How are we not FB friends yet? I'll send you a request.

mCat said...

I have some of the same pet peeves. I sure has heck don't want to play farmville or bedazzle anything. I don't have time for that crap.

Cheeseboy posts funny stuff so I go for a laugh at least once a day. And I keep tabs on my boys, their friends and my young women. I think I probably know more about the girls I am responsible for in church than their own mothers do, and it's all due to facebook. Love it, but sometimes I take a break.

The greatest was the great friend clean up I did. booted over 100 people that I have no desire to know better. So empowering!

Pedaling said...

I am proud to say I have never played a facebook game.
the poking doesn't bug so much, but I really don't like how when I comment on a popular facebooker, then I get every comment after that on my phone...there's probably a way to make that not happen, but sometimes I want to get a comment or 2 after my comment...just not 20- so therefore I rarely comment. I'm afraid I'm not a very good facebook friend...pretty much use it like you said...as my rolodex.
I rarely even wish people a happy birthday...I'm horrible.

Tom said...

M-Cat- I agree it is a great way to keep an eye on your kids and other youth you may be concerned about.
Pedaling- I was going to list the comment feedback concern too, but I was embarrassed that there is some simple way to avoide it that I wasn't aware of. I hate congratulating someone or making a comment because I then get 200 e-mail notifications of other people I don't know doing the same thing.

Atzimba said...

Ha!! I didn't even know there's a chat feature!
I too share those pet peeves.

ISRAEL CARRASCO said...

Being a pretty private person, FB irks me.