Social media and personal circumstances

I have a twitter account but never use it, as there are very many (as I see it anyway) hypersensitive people there.

Don't forget the trolls.
I've found a new use for Twitter, and that is customer support. Yes, believe it or not a lot of companies use it, and are quite responsive on that medium. Often a better way of resolving problems than phoning. Bizarre!
 
Facebook has been very good for seeking out a semblance of truth in certain people's personal circumstances.

Can't beat a good profile stalk.
 
Facebook has been very good for seeking out a semblance of truth in certain people's personal circumstances.

Can't beat a good profile stalk.
I think the Benefits Agency have also used this as a resource to check on potential fraudulent claims?

Though how some people are stupid enough to claim they can barely get out of bed to them, but then post pictures of themselves quad biking or something on FB is beyond me.
 
I've heard employers look up potential candidates on Facebook to get some insight into who they are taking on. Not being on Facebook is seen as having something to hide. I'm not sure how much truth there is in that though.
 
I've heard employers look up potential candidates on Facebook to get some insight into who they are taking on. Not being on Facebook is seen as having something to hide. I'm not sure how much truth there is in that though.

They'd be pretty bored with my profile then, I never say anything controversial on FB. All other social forums I use anonymous identities, especially on Twitter as there are some right nut cases on there. Anything of a professional nature, such as LinkedIn and StackOverflow, I use my real name. Although LinkedIn is becoming more like FB every day.
 
Have your feelings towards social media changed in the last year or so?

I used to quite enjoy facebook, various forums etc I liked the chat, the camaraderie, keeping up to date with the news and current affairs. I don't know if social media has changed or I have but I'm finding it less and less enjoyable and it's users ever more agravating.

To give some examples, since lockdown a lady who I considered a close friend, we've been friends for 20 years has disappeared down a conspiracy rabbit hole, She has started posting nonsense about governemnt control, we're all guinea pigs in some giant experiment etc I tried to ignore it or post articles for her to read, the latest one being about the vaccinations as she believed they'd been rushed but she ignores them which is her right. She wouldn't have posted such nonsense a year ago, she was level headed and we were pretty much on the same page with most stuff but these days I hardly recognise the woman she has become.

Hypocrisy is another thing that I'm finding hard to ignore lately. After the sad death of Caroline Flack, the whole BE KIND thing was all over facebook. It was quickly forgotten as people came out in droves defending Piers Morgans continual harrassment and quite frankly worrying online stalking of Meghan Markle. It wasn't OK to trash Caroline online, why is it OK to trash Meghan? A lot seem to miss the point, it matters not whether you like her. What does matter is allowing online bullying and trolling, defending it and accepting it as normal. I can't get onboard with it. It's anything but kind.

We all remember the whole clapping for the NHS every week, how quickly our appreciation for them waned when their paltry pay rise became news. My local rag was littered wth comments like "well I've worked throughout the pandemic and I'm not getting a rise why should they" etc The very same people were clattering their pans every week and hinking their car horns

I've had three facebook warnings lately for speaking up against the covid deniers. I lost my sister in law to covid last June and my mum to it in November. I wonder if it's my personal circumstances that have just made me too sensitive for social media. Maybe it's always been like it and i've just not noticed it like I am doing now.

TL:DR I just can't 'people' any more!
I've said it many times, social media is a cancer of society, not only does it divide, it will be our downfall.

The power to control certain information and conceal.

Horrible people get a free worldwide platform, that would still and always have existed, but never heard.

Kids getting manipulated and brainwashed.

Creating low self esteem

The list is endless, and for some, this is their new 'real world'.
 
I use Facebook to look up potential customers, I also used Facebook to investigate potential employees when I was a manager.
The ex-wife was reprimanded by her new boss when she posted a comment on a private NHS group.
Speaking of the NHS, my ex-wife had a strained relationship with the head of nursing at a local trust. Her page was an embarrassment, trips to Benidorm with uncouth language, not at all professional.
I've also seen a huge fallout between colleagues on Facebook involving NHS staff.
Girlfriend's company often has negative public outbursts from employees.
Keep it hidden people.
Loose lips sink ships.

Most recently I looked up an ex who had resumed communication with the aim of us being friends and meeting for coffee. A quick stalk was quite revealing, economical with the truth is an understatement.

My page is pretty much locked down and private, I deleted my old page post-divorce 3 yrs ago.
 
Oh, right.

So it's just about flogging products then, not something that particularly adds to the sum of human happiness or fulfillment.

Mind you, I can think of a lot worse ways to make a living, so fair play to them.

I guess if advertisers are prepared to throw such vast sums of money at them then you can’t blame people for seizing those opportunities. But then on the other hand you have to wonder if these companies have so much money they are willing throw/invest in advertising could they be spending their money more responsibly / ethically (something which many companies like to boast about these days). I do feel advertisers need to be held to account in some way for throwing so much money their way. It’s encouraging narcissistic tendencies and there’s the risk of that leading to a mental health timebomb.
 
I'm so pleased I found this thread. I keep wondering why people use social media. I actually don't understand the concept. I briefly used Facebook but hated it . There seems to be unwritten rules and I don't know what they are?
I may be wrong here but is it people manufacturing a perfect image of their lives?
 
I'm so pleased I found this thread. I keep wondering why people use social media. I actually don't understand the concept. I briefly used Facebook but hated it . There seems to be unwritten rules and I don't know what they are?
I may be wrong here but is it people manufacturing a perfect image of their lives?

Some people like to broadcast everything that goes on in their lives, including what they eat. Ok that's excessive, and there's been some quite negative views of social media in this thread, but it can be a good means of communication between families that are possibly separated geographically. Nice to post up pictures of what you and your kids are doing. I'm in a few community groups too, related to my interests and where I live. It can be a good way of staying up to date, having visibility of what's going on.
So despite its downsides and obvious advertising purposes, let's not condemn it completely.
 
The girlfriend uses it for communicating with her family back home.
 
They'd be pretty bored with my profile then, I never say anything controversial on FB. All other social forums I use anonymous identities, especially on Twitter as there are some right nut cases on there. Anything of a professional nature, such as LinkedIn and StackOverflow, I use my real name. Although LinkedIn is becoming more like FB every day.
I think that's sensible. I'm largely the same (preferring anonymous identities and not writing anything controversial). With regards to Facebook I think it's best to keep your profile private anyway.

I hope it isn't true that not being on Facebook is seen as having something to hide, because that seems like a particularly stupid mindset to have.
 
Some people like to broadcast everything that goes on in their lives, including what they eat. Ok that's excessive, and there's been some quite negative views of social media in this thread, but it can be a good means of communication between families that are possibly separated geographically. Nice to post up pictures of what you and your kids are doing. I'm in a few community groups too, related to my interests and where I live. It can be a good way of staying up to date, having visibility of what's going on.
So despite its downsides and obvious advertising purposes, let's not condemn it completely.
Yes, like many things it's a mixture of good and bad. I feel less inclined to share anything on social media these days, but I find it can be useful for things like advertising, getting local information etc.
 
I still use FB, mainly for keeping in contact with close friends and family all over UK. I am also a member of some groups, mainly wildlife groups. All very friendly, no nastiness mainly people showing pictures they have taken

Never used twitter or Instagram

My SIL is a huge conspiracy theorist and i love winding her up. She is so far down the rabbit hole she simply can no longer see anything except her ridiculous theories. Not quite at David Icke level yet, but she is getting there
 
I've heard employers look up potential candidates on Facebook to get some insight into who they are taking on. Not being on Facebook is seen as having something to hide. I'm not sure how much truth there is in that though.
First point of call for most companies and agencies when it comes to vetting, do you want to employ someone who boasts of pulling sickies when the weather is ggod?
 
I recognise that a lot of social media has damaging effects but my kids live overseas and almost all my family do too so the only way I find out what is going on is via social media.

If someone dies I usually hear through social media before any other means, we are widespread in almost every area of the planet and it’s so useful means to keep in touch.
I was fostered as a child and only found my real family when I was in my thirties, without social media I be would be forgotten about and neglected.

Facebook is a pain for sure but has changed my life for the better in several ways, it’s a useful tool If you can just scroll on by the crazy people.
 
Some interesting replies. My friends list isn't huge but I've deleted a fair few people these past few weeks, if you irritate me, you're gone. Life is just too short.
I've lost my best friend of 20 years but I guess these things happen and I'll get over it!
 
Some of these replies could imo have been repeated from history and just replace social media with:
Newspapers
Radio
TV

Social media is what you make of it and can be a nightmare if you let it feed you what made you tut and sigh last night..
 
First point of call for most companies and agencies when it comes to vetting, do you want to employ someone who boasts of pulling sickies when the weather is ggod?

There are some bloody daft people around.
 
I recognise that a lot of social media has damaging effects but my kids live overseas and almost all my family do too so the only way I find out what is going on is via social media.

If someone dies I usually hear through social media before any other means, we are widespread in almost every area of the planet and it’s so useful means to keep in touch.
I was fostered as a child and only found my real family when I was in my thirties, without social media I be would be forgotten about and neglected.

Facebook is a pain for sure but has changed my life for the better in several ways, it’s a useful tool If you can just scroll on by the crazy people.

Like with anything social media can be both a blessing and a curse; used for good and bad, be either positive or negative. Used correctly it can be a great asset; not so much and it can prove a real detriment to the individual.
 
I regard this site as social media.

I read some very interesting, thought-provoking opinions here. I also read stuff and I just think, "WTF?" I'm sure many people think that about my posts too!

But I do think it's vital for anyone's health and well-being that they don't spend their entire lives online if there are real world alternatives. I don't have a mobile phone specifically because I don't want to be "connected" 24/7.

In my world, when I'm out and about and with people, then I'm with them, I'm not half with them and half in cyberspace. And being outside is an important and valuable human experience, in my opinion.

If you're reclusive or socially anxious and find the outside world too frightening then that's fair enough, but finding and achieving that balance between an interior and exterior life is better for us overall, I think.
 
i think of social media being you as a real person represented - instead of hiding behind a persona / character on a forum... i tend to act differently on here than i do on facebook for example...maybe less so after a dose of rum :D
 
Some people like to broadcast everything that goes on in their lives, including what they eat. Ok that's excessive, and there's been some quite negative views of social media in this thread, but it can be a good means of communication between families that are possibly separated geographically. Nice to post up pictures of what you and your kids are doing. I'm in a few community groups too, related to my interests and where I live. It can be a good way of staying up to date, having visibility of what's going on.
So despite its downsides and obvious advertising purposes, let's not condemn it completely.
I agree the photo sharing facilities are great and very easy. It's perfect for families and close friends . I just don't understand the rest of it .
For example , how and why do people have 5000 friends?
 
I regard this site as social media.

I read some very interesting, thought-provoking opinions here. I also read stuff and I just think, "WTF?" I'm sure many people think that about my posts too!

But I do think it's vital for anyone's health and well-being that they don't spend their entire lives online if there are real world alternatives. I don't have a mobile phone specifically because I don't want to be "connected" 24/7.

In my world, when I'm out and about and with people, then I'm with them, I'm not half with them and half in cyberspace. And being outside is an important and valuable human experience, in my opinion.

If you're reclusive or socially anxious and find the outside world too frightening then that's fair enough, but finding and achieving that balance between an interior and exterior life is better for us overall, I think.
This is a interesting post and I agree with all of it . Other than the fact that I wouldn't think if this site as social media.
Now I'm more than likely wrong by definition ? But then I don't understand Facebook anyway.

To me this isn't the same as Facebook as I talk to strangers here and wouldn't on Facebook but also the lack of pictures and updates etc I find so much better.
 

The latest video from AVForums

TV Buying Guide - Which TV Is Best For You?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom