Current rumours and other baseless tosh on facebook

[littlebob]

Actually, Facebook was great until about 2009/2010; either something changed on the system to allow trash to flourish, or the userbase reached the tipping point where the dimwits outweighed everyone else.

 

I blame Farmville.

 

A lot like this place then, never changes, same old faces, maybe new user names, same crap. First post on here for ages and nothing has changed. Time to delete me thinks.

[GLASGOWOODS]

I joined Facebook recently, mainly to keep in touch with family abroad. Some things I've noticed before (wifey is a long time user of FB) but never realised were so rife until I joined...

 

1. What on earth is with all the selfie people? So many photos, mostly all pulling the same ridiculous face (grossly overextended pouts and either hyper-raised eyebrows or sultry squint). Fair enough, a couple of these shots might be a bit of fun but it seems many peoples' pages are full of tens or hundreds of what is essentially the same photo.

 

2. 'Inspirational' quotes/pictures/posts, often complete cobblers. I find the worst ones to be those recommending people not to worry about tomorrow or think about the past, just live for today.

 

3. Chain letters/reposts, the ones that begin or end with "if you really love (insert person or cause here) then you'll share this on your page". Practically emotionally blackmailing you into sharing them. Some of these also fall into the next category...

 

4. There's so many rumours, gossip and bullshoe stories/articles. It saddens me a little, how so many people are ready to accept and perpetuate these things without a rational thought crossing there minds.

 

Examples I've noticed over the last few days include

- a lot of people outraged that we have to call Christmas things like "Winterval/winter festival/holiday season/etc.", which is obviously cobblers.

- anecdotes/urban myths (including a dog slain by it's owners after mistakenly thinking it attacked their baby when it had saved the baby instead) that have been told and retold in many variations over the years

- in light of several recent, verysad and tragic deaths, some people have somehow linked this with the notion that "Sheffield streets aren't safe/there's some sick people about/I'm scared to leave the house these days", when there's evidence of any such foul play.

 

 

 

I realise this will be nothing new to many of you. I also invite you to share any bullshoe-sized gossip or rumours doing the rounds on Facebook, in this thread for it to be thoroughly ridiculed and dismissed.

 

2/ Sentimental quotes= Annoying comments such as 'so true.' (really annoying)

 

3/ Bettys 300 year old today, lets get a million happy birthdays.

[RootsBooster]

2/ Sentimental quotes= Annoying comments such as 'so true.' (really annoying)

 

3/ Bettys 300 year old today, lets get a million happy birthdays.

 

I saw earlier a photo being shared, of an old fellah from the RAF in WWII. He was sat holding a message appealing for anyone from his old squadron to contact him. The woman sharing this was urging everyone else to share it.

 

Now, I'd like nothing more than to help this old hero but they were no details about who he was or how to contact him. The woman who shared it didn't know either.

[GLASGOWOODS]

I saw earlier a photo being shared, of an old fellah from the RAF in WWII. He was sat holding a message appealing for anyone from his old squadron to contact him. The woman sharing this was urging everyone else to share it.

 

Now, I'd like nothing more than to help this old hero but they were no details about who he was or how to contact him. The woman who shared it didn't know either.

 

I've seen this one. The poor old chaps probably got Dementia and doesn't have a clue what's happening.

[RootsBooster]

I've seen this one. The poor old chaps probably got Dementia and doesn't have a clue what's happening.

 

I couldn't really speculate on his mental health but I suspect originally there were some details. Some people just seem to share these photos without including any vital details.

 

Another thing I've noticed is that some of these appeals and photos are way out of date (could be the case with the old fellah), there was a share appeal yesterday to look out for the rapist Wakar Akhtar who was on the run. Thing is, he was apprehended back in February and imprisoned.

[plantas_Vzla]

those trends seem to happen in any other social media tool. Family groups in Whatsapp are just like that

[Cyclone]

Ok, here's my issue... I don't put any pictures of my daughter on FB! she's 11yrs old and there isn't a single picture of her on my page, the reason being I don't want to plaster my child on the internet for weirdo's to gawp at!! I send school photo's to my relatives that don't get to see her often and I also send picture messages of family pics.

 

You realise that there are privacy settings? You can put pictures on facebook, but select only a specific group (family maybe) to see them...

 

---------- Post added 16-12-2015 at 09:01 ----------

 

I think you're misunderstanding my post! I can't control what happens with peoples eyes when I'm out and about but I can control what goes on the internet!! do you not get that??

 

My issue is that photo's can be downloaded and used.. I don't know who or what is looking at my photo's from behind a computer screen etc.

 

Example - a very good friend of mine posted a picture of her little boy playing in rivelin park, she took the photo herself and posted it to her own timeline... a few months go by and she's looking at some link to another page and she spots the picture of her son being used as a poster for a nursery somewhere in Scotland!!! She never gave permission for this picture to be used but when she reported it she was told by posting pictures to public profiles such as facebook you are automatically giving permission for your pics to be used... I'm not comfortable with that but each to their own!

 

That's actually a lie (on the part of the nursery). You DO give facebook some permissions to use the photo, but you do not give up the copyright to the image and make it public domain.

 

How do you deal with other people in public who have cameras though?

 

---------- Post added 16-12-2015 at 09:02 ----------

 

Another slice of Facebook madness (in my opinion) is people who tell everyone they can't wait 'til they set off on their holidays this weekend (very likely leaving the house empty), then go on to keep reminding everyone that the house is unoccupied by posting holiday snaps daily.

 

If their broadband was disconnected would they put a sign outside informing everyone that they're going away?

 

Yeah, again, I don't understand this sentiment.

I don't expect my friends to rob me. They know I'm away anyway.

Nobody except friends can see my profile or status updates.

 

Learn to use the tool appropriately, don't blame the tool if you advertise your holiday to the general public.

[RootsBooster]

 

Yeah, again, I don't understand this sentiment.

I don't expect my friends to rob me. They know I'm away anyway.

Nobody except friends can see my profile or status updates.

 

Learn to use the tool appropriately, don't blame the tool if you advertise your holiday to the general public.

 

The thing is, even then, you can't guarantee that it's only your friends seeing it, you can only guarantee that it's their accounts that receive it.

In rare and unlikely circumstances it only takes a nosey visitor (a son's/daughter's friend or partner) to use your friend's computer or simply look at it when it's unattended to gain such information.

 

Example - Cheryl goes to have dinner with her mum and dad in the dining room, Billy's just arrived so waits in the living room until they're done. He sees the powered up laptop next to him and decides to have a look at reviews for the new Xbox game. On the screen there's dad's Facebook page, still logged in, with a post from dad's sister Mary, saying how wonderful their second day in Australia has been.

He clicks onto her profile, sees various family photos,including one of her new car on the drive (he recognises the street).

 

From the photo albums he can see what everyone got for Christmas, the Ipads, the jewellery, the Xbox One, the new TV, etc. He knows they're away, knows where they live, knows what stuff they've got and thanks to Google maps he could plan a route of best entry and escape if he wanted.

He may or may not be interested in burgling them but he also may or may not talk about it with other people, passing the info on.

 

The above is indeed a highly unlikely situation and simply and just an example of the risks of internet exposure (even with privacy settings) but stranger things have happened. You have to remember that the vast majority of people don't have privacy settings on so it would be far easier for them to be a target than Cheryl's Aunty.

[Cyclone]

I can only guarantee that it's their accounts that receive it yes... Much like if I email them I can only say the same. Or if I text them it will go to their phone.

Hell, if I talk to them, other ears can hear what I say...

 

If someone manages to catch a glimpse of a holiday photo on a friends computer they're not going to know what my address is, nor are friends of friends likely to be burglars.

 

I might as well be worried that my neighbours will see me carrying a suitcase out to the car and mention it to a friend... The risk of advertising your holiday is mitigated by privacy settings, the rest is pointless paranoia.

Edited December 16, 2015 by Cyclone

[RootsBooster]

I can only guarantee that it's their accounts that receive it yes... Much like if I email them I can only say the same. Or if I text them it will go to their phone.

Hell, if I talk to them, other ears can hear what I say...

 

If someone manages to catch a glimpse of a holiday photo on a friends computer they're not going to know what my address is, nor are friends of friends likely to be burglars.

 

...unless they look more into it like Billy did.

 

Might point was that those who don't make any security efforts are at greater risk, enough that insurance companies sometimes look into your Facebook activity if a claim has been made.