Facebook

[WindingRoad]

I deactivated my FB account last night. Seems that thing does nothing but suck away at my time. I tried several times to stop using it and I really could not. It was rediculous the amount of time I wasted on there. I'm trying to stay strong and leave it alone.

[Bike Chick]

Sorry to hear that Winding. Be strong.

FB has it's advantages and disadvantages. I could see how it could quickly become an obsession---kinda like the TE forum

[Mr. Bloom]

Out of curiousity, how long were you on FB? I've found that it become less relevant to me the longer I was on. Now, I'll occassionally post a quick comment (I don't tweet), and scan to see what's happening with my 450 close friends

I stay away from the games and groups...

[OakLeaf]

No games, no groups, no apps here.

I use it quite a bit as a news aggregator, to get notifications of rides, events and schedule changes from the bike club (the reason I joined to begin with) and the yoga studio, to find out the night's specials at a few favorite restaurants, and to keep up with a small group of people that I know IRL.

[Bike Chick]

No games, no groups, no apps here.

I use it quite a bit as a news aggregator, to get notifications of rides, events and schedule changes from the bike club (the reason I joined to begin with) and the yoga studio, to find out the night's specials at a few favorite restaurants, and to keep up with a small group of people that I know IRL.

That's the reason we joined too, Oak. It's very handy for posting rides and notifications. And I have blocked all games.

[Veronica]

No Facebook here. They have no respect for the users' privacy.

If you use it and you don't pay for it, YOU are the product being sold.


Veronica

[WindingRoad]

I estimate I spent approximately 2 - 4 hours at a time on FB per day. The problem is that it has effected my study time and study quality. I had to level with myself that it was turning into a problem and accept the fact that it had to end. There are many recovering alcoholics and gamblers in my family. Apparently this is my 'issue'. I stopped playing video games for reasons similar to this. I would play video games for 7 - 8 hours at a time and honestly I was afraid this FB thing might escalate into that. TE is different somehow, I don't stay on it for hours on end, which is why I am allowing myself to stay here. I feel at least this is educational and health oriented in many ways. I can't say that about FB, if I spend 3 hours there I don't know anything new. With TE I might learn how to fix my brakes w/o spending a bunch of money at the bike shop or discover that the pannier I was about to spend $90 on was not so great

I do wonder how many others have found themselves in a similar predicament.

[Mr. Bloom]

Good for you windingroad! It sounds like you have plenty to fill your time

[shootingstar]

I still haven't gotten in FB yet.

The 4th cycling blog that I'm launching..for another organization will not have a Facebook presence. The problem is that myself and others in the tiny organization do not have time to respond, interact with other FB folks and also do daily clean-up of crap spam that FB spammers throw onto a public FB site.

I'm sure there is a way to lock out spammers and only post FB on the 'virtual' FB wall but the original point of FB for social interactivity is then lost. But I can't be bothered to spend the time and effort to figure out the nuances of FB settings to set it to only "read only" and no posting by other folks.

So why bother for our organization to have an FB, when organization's owners don't have time cleanup postings that don't belong? Sheesh...

I have a full-time job and right now, am struggling to manage and write content...for 4 different blogs outside of my job.

[azfiddle]

I usually check in on FB a couple of times during the day, but don't play any games etc. I have re-connected with a few friends, and use it for announcing gigs. I sometimes feel it is all "me, me, me", but like to see what some of my friends are up to.

I also have concerns about the privacy. My DH and I were just talking about how so much of our internet activity is being tracked.

[PamNY]

Good for you, Winding Road. There are great resources online, but it's very easy spend more time that you should.

[Crankin]

I check FB a few times a day, but I rarely post anything. I use it to vicariously keep up with all 45 of my "friends." I have reconnected with several people from my childhood, which is good.
I don't play video games or any games for that matter (including cards or board games), so that stuff has no interest for me. I have 2 "real" friends that I often chat with over FB, at odd times of the day, when I don't pick up the phone instead. I am much more addicted to TE! But, I also consider TE educational and since I have met many people from TE and ride with some of them, I don't see it as totally virtual. I can check TE at work, when I have down time, but FB is blocked. I guess some of the clinicians had a problem!
I find that this is very individual. I generally stay away from most technology. I don't have a Smart Phone, I don't know how to text, and I rarely use my cell phone. But, I do like looking at Facebook for some reason. My DH dislikes FB, although he does have an account. My older son has about 400 "friends" and occasionally posts, but lately has been using FB more as a business tool for connections. My son in the military thinks FB is evil and that they will steal your identity. Yet, his wife is on all of the time.
I see it as part of life, but not an important part. I could never be on it 3-4 hours a day.

[NbyNW]

FB was how I learned that my dad and some friends and their families were safe and unharmed following last week's earthquake.

I have my privacy settings very high. It is very hard for people to find me.

I probably only check it a few times a day, for several minutes at a time. Rarely post updates but I do share vacation photos.

It can be a good thing, as long as you have your own rules and boundaries for how you use it.

[roadie gal]

No Facebook here. They have no respect for the users' privacy.

If you use it and you don't pay for it, YOU are the product being sold.


Veronica

1++++ on this. I refuse to subscribe to the FB business model.

I hear a lot about reconnecting with people. I guess I'm a grinch of sorts. If I haven't spoken to someone for 30 years, why do I want to start now? I have a hard enough time keeping up with my family.

[roadie gal]

I estimate I spent approximately 2 - 4 hours at a time on FB per day. The problem is that it has effected my study time and study quality. I had to level with myself that it was turning into a problem and accept the fact that it had to end. There are many recovering alcoholics and gamblers in my family. Apparently this is my 'issue'. I stopped playing video games for reasons similar to this. I would play video games for 7 - 8 hours at a time and honestly I was afraid this FB thing might escalate into that. TE is different somehow, I don't stay on it for hours on end, which is why I am allowing myself to stay here. I feel at least this is educational and health oriented in many ways. I can't say that about FB, if I spend 3 hours there I don't know anything new. With TE I might learn how to fix my brakes w/o spending a bunch of money at the bike shop or discover that the pannier I was about to spend $90 on was not so great

I do wonder how many others have found themselves in a similar predicament.

VERY smart/ insightful/ brave of you to recognize that you have a potential problem. Good luck!