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198506 tn?1251156915

Facebook question

So, friends and relatives have been bugging me to get a Facebook account.  My teenager has one which leads me to think that maybe I am a little too old for it.  What are your thoughts about and experiences with FB?  
16 Responses
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Avatar universal
There's a great new book called, Unblocked: The Blocked Side of Facebook, which shows the real side of Facebook for teenagers.  This is the side of Facebook parents don't see. Please if you have a teenager or soon to be teenager - this is a must read! As a bonus there’s a Slang and Emoticon Dictionary in the back of the book. For a short time Amazon is offering $5off Unblocked at https://www.createspace.com/3689179.
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Helpful - 0
1541592 tn?1293077055
I do have a facebook account, I like it because I have found alot of people I used to go school with and got to catch up with them a bit. Plus, you can let your friends and family know what has been going on quickly and briefly. the only thing I do not like, is that so many people update their status a 100 times a day, literally, letting everyone know they are taking a shower, their bored, what their eating , etc. WHO CARES ...lol...so I would choose which friends/family you add due to that, if they are complainers, I wouldnt give them the time of day. Its crazy to see how much info people actually share for the whole world to see.
On the other hand, if you do have children at the age where they may have a social networking site, it is a good way to see what is going on and with whom, once you are their friend, because you see every post they make, so you can keep tabs on them
It has its pros and cons, but I will agree with a post above, sometimes it does get addictive, so beware
Helpful - 0
168348 tn?1379357075
Good comment.
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719902 tn?1334165183
I know this is old but i wanted to chime in, lol.  I think anyone who has a teenager on Facebook should definitely have a Facebook, if only to monitor their teen.  I am shocked and apalled at the things I come across on there from my middle school students, many of them with parents who would just die if they knew the things their child wrote/posted.  
Helpful - 0
168348 tn?1379357075
I finally caved in and have an account and guess what, one of my teens begged me to be "my friend" LOL .... the other one is much more private but neither displays their full names and have private settings, etc.

I'm not thrilled with Facebook ... I'm trying hard to learn about it ... but I find it wayyyy too cluttered with just too much junk and I'm PC and Internet savvy, but Facebook isn't so thrilling for me .. just my 2 cents.

C~
Helpful - 0
173939 tn?1333217850
Funny, I took a letter to the post office today and the postal lady smiled happily: "Oh, a real letter, overseas!" I guess they do not see that many anymore... And by the end of the day my younger coworker confessed that he quit most of his sports- and social activities due to all the hours spent on Facebook or doing some internet research.  It is all addictive and time consuming, Medhelp, Facebook, no matter which one. Probably because it is open-ended. You just know that something continues to go on and on even after you log off. Just like kids do better accepting that a movie on DVD has a beginning and an end, they have a much harder time leaving any shows on TV. There is always something else. I admire anyone who makes use of all types of media and doesn`t get lost! I am not disciplined enough.
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208686 tn?1293030503
I have both and I like both. I only have family, close friends and some medhelp gals on my myspace account. You can choose privacy options in Myspace the same as facebook that only allow certain people to contact you or send you messages. Like they have to know your email that you use with myspace, or they have to have your last name.

It's funny, my husband and I were talking the other day about how many people actually send out personal letters anymore. He even thought about calling the post office and asking them if they knew the statistics from the past 20 years until now..lol Interesting huh!
Helpful - 0
750172 tn?1256147076
I do have a facebook account.  But, you're completely right.  I'm a big fan of handwritten letters and still to this day correspond with my very close friends who have moved away and my grandmother that way.  I absolutely love it.  I feel I've developed a better relationship with her b/c we correspond this way.
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173939 tn?1333217850
Oh boy, I feel like I am 100 years old... I still prefer when people send old-fashioned letters to each other and I don`t know what people consider friendship these days. Friendship is a mouseclick away while I still think you have to go through hard times together, face to face, to develop true friendships. Maybe facebook and the like works to maintain contacts that already exist in a healthy way, but then again, knowing that someone sends out the same personal information and updates to the whole group of friends makes it so impersonal. Sigh...*crawls back into last century setting*.
Helpful - 0
483733 tn?1326798446
My son actually got me into it and I believe it is safe if you set up your security options appropriately.  I love it for knowing what my son and his friends are up to, connecting, communicating and sharing info with family, and I find it saves time in keeping up with all my friends.  Even though we don't have time in our busy lives to talk or see each other as often as we like by updating statuses and adding notes we are still in touch.  I have also found it valuable in looking for a job.  By communicating my search with my network of friends they all know to keep their eyes and ears open for me and they support me along the way.
Helpful - 0
198506 tn?1251156915
Thanks Everyone, I think that I will try the facebook thing to see how it works but I will be very selective restricting access to close friends and family.  
Helpful - 0
365714 tn?1292199108
Thing with facebook is you are supposedly using your _real_ name, so you're not anonymous.  Be very careful who you connect with and share your info with.

I created a facebook account once, but after seeing how addictive it could become and seeing some really crazy "plug-ins", I decided I need to pick and choose my obsessions. I can only stay active in one without neglecting the other. I closed my account out and decided to stay active here.
Helpful - 0
585414 tn?1288941302
I tend to be careful with social networking sites outside of Medhelp. I had an unpleasent encounter one on site (for obvious reasons won't post the name) with internet harassment which is an ever present problem. Unmoderated or poorly moderated forums can be a real problem. Much of what goes on at Myspace or Facebook is gossip or hook-ups which is a shame because among them the pages there is interesting stuff that is fun and productive. For example my cousin posted his band page on Myspace. One thing for sure don't give out any personal information and be careful what you post and who you invite as friends with caution. Some people enter these sites to cause trouble for people. Yes Facebook has a better reputation than Myspace by an extent but there still are concerns. Sure you can create a profile if you want but if your kids are on either site check out their profile and more importantly the profile of their friends to make sure that everything is on the up and up. For some internet anomininity is a way to socially network in privacy. For others its a temptation to cause harm and having been on the receiving end of it, it is indeed a concern. Use caution, check out various aspects of the site and then come to a cogent decision then.
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750172 tn?1256147076
They are retracting that term of use on facebook about it being "their" property b/c they've gotten so many complaints about it.  
I agree that it is much cleaner than myspace.  You can block yourself from even being listed as a member of fb.  That way only people who you email can become a friend.  I've only been on for about 6 months now but, I've never had a problem.
Helpful - 0
189069 tn?1323402138
I read somewhere some time ago that anything you post on Facebook, including pictures, becomes property of FB and it's supposed to be written on the terms and conditions so make sure you read that and be careful of what you post :)
Helpful - 0
203342 tn?1328737207
I've had at least five friends now send me an invite to Facebook and this is what they all say. They feel it's more professional than Myspace. They feel Myspace is a teen thing or a big pick up place anymore and anyone can ask to be your friend, including the one who started Myspace. He automatically becomes your friend. Whereas with Facebook, you only have the friends YOU invite and you will discover it's more and more older people who are turning to Facebook. They said they feel like it's cleaner, more professional and safer. That's what I've heard anyway.
I'm thinking about it, myself. :)
Helpful - 0

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