Facebook friends
Libby has resisted joining Facebook ever since it rolled out in 2004, but since so many people have made their FB accounts so restricted that only ‘friends’ can see them she was forced into doing something she never wanted to do and now regrets that she ever let curiosity overcome her common sense.
“I’m a social animal and I’m a loyal and caring friend to many people - male and female – in my real life,” says Libby, “and because I never saw the point of conducting relationships online I’ve also resisted getting a personal internet connection.”
“For the past 10 years I’ve done all of my web-surfing and emailing at work, and I’ve watched the Facebook phenomenon grow – along with the world of Twitter – and never quite got it.”
“After being nagged for so long to join Facebook, it was a new guy at work who finally persuaded me to sign in,” laughs Libby. “He aroused my curiosity about all the good stuff he was sharing online – but there was no way I could see it unless I signed in, so I did.”
“And now, after giving all of my personal information to Facebook, and becoming one of this guy’s many Facebook Friends, I feel like I’ve been tricked into joining some massive social marketing scam.”
“All this guy wanted was another ‘Facebook friend’ to boost his ratings,” laughs Libby. “He had nothing in his pages that I didn’t know or haven’t seen already, and now he pesters me every day to sign in and look at this or that on his page when I work right next to him!”
“Now I most certainly ‘get it’, but I guess I knew all along it wasn’t for me!”
“This guy – and other people I work with - actually get a kick out of sharing photos and stuff through Facebook, but most of us do all that already through email.”
“I guess it’s useful if you’re not allowed to use work email accounts for private stuff – but then in a workplace like that you wouldn’t be allowed to use the Internet to connect to Facebook, or take time off to check cell phone connections.”
“So, is it just a fascination for technology that I don’t share?” asks Libby. “Or is it a way some people distance themselves from real friendships?”
Read more by Libby on this issue:
Labels: facebook, friends, friendship, social marketing, technology, twitter
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