Why you should deactivate your Facebook Acct

[Gazella]

Originally Posted by Lynx-lynx

Gazella did you all make a conscious decision not to use Facebook and Twitter? Or was it more in the line of just not bothering to get an account without really going through the pros and cons?

Some of us are just simply not interested. Social networking doesn't interest me one bit but also I don't/won't feel comfortable with having an account. And some don't have accounts on Facebook or Twitter because they value their privacy and they feel social media violates that.

Originally Posted by Lynx-lynx

I see that you're in Abu Dhabi, is Facebook and Twitter commonplace amongst the general population there?

Social media is very popular here. The UAE has the highest number of Twitter users in the Gulf with 2.5M tweets everyday; and Facebook users add up to 3.6M. Social Media is also commonly used here to promote businesses and campaigns. They conducted a survey recently and they found that women in the UAE tweet seven times more than the average Twitter user.

Females (who use social media) here prefer Twitter to Facebook. Facebook is more popular among males.

Originally Posted by Lynx-lynx

Has the government made its voice known re what it thinks of Facebook and Twitter generally?

Twitter was partially blocked in the UAE for several hours because of safety reasons (that was I believe a couple of months ago). The government doesn't mind if someone has a Facebook/Twitter account as long as they comply with the rules. The UAE Police are monitoring Twitter and Facebook 24 hours a day. They're keeping a close eye and they're detecting and tracking all topics and materials written and presented. Several UAE citizens have been arrested recently for statements made on Twitter. One was arrested for tweets in which he criticized the country’s security forces, while another was arrested on charges of defamation. These are just a few, several others were arrested and jailed because they attempted to foment national unrest and some were jailed due to criticizing the UAE government.

Now you know why some of us don't want anything to do with social media.

If you're interested:
http://www.stats.ae/UAE-Facebook-Stats
http://www.stats.ae/UAE-Twitter-Stats

[JD Gumby]

Originally Posted by meeera

I happily use Facebook; I just don't give them my real name or real details. Histrionic articles shrieking at me about how stupid I am for using Facebook which now knows everything, EVERYTHING about my private life just leave me shrugging and switching off.

Of course, if you interact with anyone else through the site (or any site that allows Facebook as login credentials (even if you yourself don't use your FB creds to login) or has a Facebook like button), Facebook knows about it and can easily compile your various aliases and activity. And, of course, Google does the same on an even wider basis...

Originally Posted by Gazella

Some of us are just simply not interested. Social networking doesn't interest me one bit but also I don't/won't feel comfortable with having an account. And some don't have accounts on Facebook or Twitter because they value their privacy and they feel social media violates that.

Same, for privacy and other reasons. One reasons is that other technologies are better in my opinion. While Facebook and Twitter may be great for making those initial contacts, email and rss are better for day to day stuff since those protocols are designed to use client software. The client software is usually more powerful than the web interfaces. Ditto for the various chat protocols, where I have a preference for IRC. (I can say the same thing for usenet vs. web forums, but web forums are so much more active that they are more enjoyable to use than usenet.)

[meeera]

Originally Posted by JD Gumby

Of course, if you interact with anyone else through the site (or any site that allows Facebook as login credentials (even if you yourself don't use your FB creds to login) or has a Facebook like button), Facebook knows about it and can easily compile your various aliases and activity.

DoNotTrackMe, Ghostery, etc take care of that side of things.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by HarryT

We psychopaths must stick together . I don't have a Facebook or a Twitter account either.

I'm with the Dalek!

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by meeera

I happily use Facebook; I just don't give them my real name or real details. Histrionic articles shrieking at me about how stupid I am for using Facebook which now knows everything, EVERYTHING about my private life just leave me shrugging and switching off.

Maybe this is a stupid question from a non-user, but if people don't use real info, how do they connect with one another? I mean, if I were to join in hopes of, say, finding people I went to school with, I could only find them if they gave truthful information, and vice versa.

[kennyc]

I never want to see those people again.

[meeera]

Originally Posted by Catlady

Maybe this is a stupid question from a non-user, but if people don't use real info, how do they connect with one another?

They tell each other what their Facebook name is by other channels. It's really not that hard.

[ProfCrash]

Originally Posted by WillysJeepMan

Of the people I know, a greater percentage of the 50+ are active on facebook than those under 50. It is a great way for grandparents to keep up with their grandchildren who live far away, and to keep connected with old friends who are no longer as easy to contact.

The lowest percentage appears to be in the 30-40 year age range. Too busy living life to post about it I guess.

This except that 30-40 year olds with kids use Facebook to post pictures so that the Grandparents can see the grand kiddies.

My family is scattered across the country. Facebook is a nice place to post pictures of the kids, updates on their various teams, and to keep in easy contact when the world around us is going at warp speed. Heck, we got my parents an iPad for Christmas so we can Facetime with them and they can watch BB grow up.

Living across country sucks sometimes. It is nice to have an easy way to touch base with all the family at once. And I enjoy keeping up with what friends from high school and college are doing. My Facebook time has decreased since I got an iPad. You can't play most of the Facebook games on the iPad.

My spare time is now spent playing strategy games on the iPad or Plants vs Zombies while chilling with the hubby. Or reading but more likely Plants vs Zombies or Puerto Rico. Less effort for my tired brain.

[ApK]

I'm with the other psychos.

No account on either for me.
I also don't have a Google+ account, even though I drank most of the other Google Kool-Aid, and liked it.

[ProfCrash]

Privacy stuff: I have my account set to be seen only by people I have friended, no tagging of me unless I approve, and the like. I have not filled in any of the information about who I am, past work, education, and the like. I don't post anything that I wouldn't say or share in a public forum. I don't friend random people. Can it be harmful? I suppose. But my email can be hacked. My credit card info can be gotten by hacking the companies website. Info on me can be gotten by hacking into any number of retailers. Heck, people can find out a fair amount about me posting here.

The only way to protect your privacy these days is to go and hang out in a cave in the desert and hope that no one finds you.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by meeera

They tell each other what their Facebook name is by other channels. It's really not that hard.

But only if they're already in touch.

What I'm wondering is how I'd find Mary Highschoolfriend whom I haven't been in touch with for eons if she doesn't use her real name or say where she went to school because of privacy concerns, or how she'd find me if I also am not using my real name or giving details of my location.

[ProfCrash]

You wouldn't. I would guess that most people are using their real names and listing more information then then people in this thread.

Or you find them through a friend who has them on thier page.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Catlady

But only if they're already in touch.

What I'm wondering is how I'd find Mary Highschoolfriend whom I haven't been in touch with for eons if she doesn't use her real name or say where she went to school because of privacy concerns, or how she'd find me if I also am not using my real name or giving details of my location.

If she's that concerned about privacy, maybe she doesn't want you finding her.

BTW, my reluctance to get a FB or Twit account is not over privacy concerns. I just think MZ is Evil and I don't want to contribute to his ownership of the Internet, and I think burying yourself in tweets and updates is not being social, it's rather the opposite. In some cases becoming a sort of reclusive narcissism.

[jehane]

Originally Posted by HarryT

We psychopaths must stick together . I don't have a Facebook or a Twitter account either.

Sign me up to Psychopaths Anonymous! Having said that, I do "follow" one Twitter account. I don't have one so I can't follow her in the Twitter sense, but I have her page bookmarked.

Originally Posted by Catlady

Maybe this is a stupid question from a non-user, but if people don't use real info, how do they connect with one another? I mean, if I were to join in hopes of, say, finding people I went to school with, I could only find them if they gave truthful information, and vice versa.

Originally Posted by kennyc

I never want to see those people again.

^^^
Definitely this.

On the whole privacy issue, I used to work in a very high security area. I have seen profiles of real people put together based on what they post on the internet, including, but not limited to, the various social networking sites. All of that anti-tracking software will only help against automatic trackers; it certainly won't help against human analysts and the tools they have access to. But before everyone gets really paranoid, here's a great article:

How to keep the NSA out of your email - Crikey.com.au

Make sure you read right through to the end.