May be dropping Facebook soon

[scotchandcigar]

I don't see it. Don't even see an 'about'. All I see a the bottom is stuff for instagram and threads profile. I see all the pages I have followed and all the pages i have liked. No POTUS is on them. I don't get political on my facebook page (that often).

I'm really not clear if I get what you're saying. You say "I see all the pages I have followed and all the pages i have liked", right after you say "I don't see it. Don't even see an 'about'". So I'm confused. It sounds like you can't find it, but then you say you see it.

 

[scotchandcigar]

If the problem is that you can't find who you're following, and you're on a computer, go to your profile page, select Friends and then Following. On my cell phone, it's in my "about" list, where I keep scrolling and it shows me all of it.

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

I found it. It does not look at all like your screenshot (wondering if its an android vs iphone thing?) but it definitely is the same thing. I also saw that same list in other menus as well. It didn't have any POTUS on it. But it never did.

 

[scotchandcigar]

I found it. It does not look at all like your screenshot (wondering if its an android vs iphone thing?) but it definitely is the same thing. I also saw that same list in other menus as well. It didn't have any POTUS on it. But it never did.

I put together that image by piecing together the menu from my computer. So that's what it looks like in the US on a Windows computer. When I first searched for it, I was on my android phone, but it takes more steps for me to post multiple menu screenshots from my phone. On my phone, the links are Posts, Photos and Videos (compared to the bigger menu above), but then below those links are my Details, and at the bottom of that it says "... See your About info". And that's where I would scroll and eventually find "Following". So it looks much different on my phone too, compared to what I posted.

 

[HecticArt]

If it’s on there, and I cant get rid of it, I’ll dump FB for sure.
I don’t want any politician showing up.
Zuckernerd can go eff himself. It should be easy for him.
His hair already looks like a 1970 porn bush anyway.

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

I put together that image by piecing together the menu from my computer. So that's what it looks like in the US on a Windows computer. When I first searched for it, I was on my android phone, but it takes more steps for me to post multiple menu screenshots from my phone. On my phone, the links are Posts, Photos and Videos (compared to the bigger menu above), but then below those links are my Details, and at the bottom of that it says "... See your About info". And that's where I would scroll and eventually find "Following". So it looks much different on my phone too, compared to what I posted.

My facebook on my mackbook on firefox also looks different. But I found that list.

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

If it’s on there, and I cant get rid of it, I’ll dump FB for sure.
I don’t want any politician showing up.
Zuckernerd can go eff himself. It should be easy for him.
His hair already looks like a 1970 porn bush anyway.

Blocking them works.

 

[sadchild]

The guy I'm writing songs with completely left Facebook yesterday (before the auto-follow thing happened).

It's related to kissing-the-ring and changing of their moderation policies based on, well, y'know.

He sent me this screenshot:

 

[JHDK]

If it’s on there, and I cant get rid of it, I’ll dump FB for sure.
I don’t want any politician showing up.
Zuckernerd can go eff himself. It should be easy for him.
His hair already looks like a 1970 porn bush anyway.

Oh that's interesting. I don't want to make this anything political or whatever, so I'm going to try to tread carefully here, but I guess I didn't know that zuck was universally disliked. I assumed the people who dislike musk these days were the people who like zuck, but I guess I'm wrong there.

Anyway, he just did Rogan and it's a fascinating interview where they go deep into large-scale censorship or moderation as they call it and how that has to constantly be updated. I think I've only ever watched one Rogan episode all the way through and I am 45 minutes into this one now so it's looking like it's going to be the second.

 

[sadchild]

I haven't listened to it, but the gist of it is:

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg appeared on the Joe Rogan podcast, where he defended his decision to deregulate fact-checking and hate speech

So basically, on a surface level, it seems you can say (and forward) whatever hateful invented bullshit you want with no consequence. Start a rumor! Maybe it will spread and ruin someone's life! Or hundreds of lives! Or thousands! Welcome to 2025.

 

[JHDK]

I haven't listened to it, but the gist of it is:

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg appeared on the Joe Rogan podcast, where he defended his decision to deregulate fact-checking and hate speech

So basically, on a surface level, it seems you can say (and forward) whatever hateful invented bullshit you want with no consequence. Start a rumor! Maybe it will spread and ruin someone's life! Or hundreds of lives! Or thousands! Welcome to 2025.

You're being sarcastic like that's a bad thing but I think that's how the internet should be as long as you don't say anything illegal like threats or slander then you should be allowed to say whatever you want.

And of course I understand. The first amendment does not apply to private companies but I think that companies that are a platform for individuals to express themselves should choose to mirror the first amendment in their code of conduct.

Also the only reason any of these social media type platforms can exist is because the government allows them to be categorized as a platform instead of a publisher. The minute that policy is rescinded they all get sued to fucking hell and they go out of business or just shut down.

I think the community note thing is the good way to go because when you wind up saying stupid shit level-headed people intervene and basically asterisks your post telling everybody hey this guy's saying stupid shit.

 

[scotchandcigar]

Oh that's interesting. I don't want to make this anything political or whatever, so I'm going to try to tread carefully here, but I guess I didn't know that zuck was universally disliked. I assumed the people who dislike musk these days were the people who like zuck, but I guess I'm wrong there.

There are a whole bunch of these powerful, high-profile guys who used to be liked; but as soon as it looked like the election was going to go the way it did, got the kneepads on. And it's been non-stop kowtowing (never knew how to spell that) to the right.

You're being sarcastic like that's a bad thing but I think that's how the internet should be as long as you don't say anything illegal like threats or slander then you should be allowed to say whatever you want.

This is exactly why we have a country full of idiots. Whenever something happens, like the California wildfires, these opportunistic nutcases come out with conspiracy theories, and naïve people believe them and then take action or set policy based on bullshit. It happened with Covid, where hundreds of thousands of people died unnecessarily (including my best friend from middle-school) because of misinformation. It happened with January 6th, where police officers died, and Mike Pence and Nancy Pelosi were nearly murdered.

Facebook is not just a place where you share things with friends. It's a platform that uses targeted advertising/propaganda to make money. They should take responsibility for their propaganda, because it is a live or die situation.

 

[sadchild]

They should take responsibility for their propaganda, because it is a live or die situation.

^this

I think that's how the internet should be

^not this

otherwise, this...

 

[Channel98]

Today I checked the list of followers on my Facebook page. I had never looked at it before. Two of my followers are Disney groups. That's fine. I'm a Disneyana collector and have shared many of my collectibles on my page. I blocked the other three: a digital content creator, a jewelry wholesaler and the Posey County Historical Society in Indiana. They were not among my Facebook friends and I have no idea why they started following me. Of course I thought of this scene from A Night At The Opera:

 

[goreds2]

I have never had a Facebook account. Is my life more calm and relaxed?

 

[HecticArt]

I have never had a Facebook account. Is my life more calm and relaxed?

That's awesome.

That was probably a great decision.

 

[scotchandcigar]

I have never had a Facebook account. Is my life more calm and relaxed?

We have friends (mostly older) who either don't use Facebook or don't post. And as an engineer, I have several coworker friends who don't have Facebook; either because they have no interest, or they feel like it would compromise their careers. But many of their spouses are on.

I had to join several years ago, because I was president of a community band, and I had to maintain the Facebook page. Since then, I've reconnected with many childhood and high school friends. And we mostly post stories about pet sitting and dog walking. I've fine-tuned my friends list to be very non-confrontational and benign.

 

[MonoStereo]

Scotch makes a good point. A lot of the time, you see people complain about their Racist Uncle Frank or whatever, but they decided to accept his Friend Request, knowing he's a dick. I've denied so many relatives on Facebook, & I always think I'm doing them a favor. Do you really wanna see me use the C-word, Aunt Joan?

 

[sadchild]

I've reconnected with many childhood and high school friends. And we mostly post stories about pet sitting and dog walking. I've fine-tuned my friends list to be very non-confrontational and benign.

^This.

Whenever someone complains about social media, my first thought is "It is what you make it" or more specifically "All of the content is based on who you follow, don't like what you see? find new friends".

I joined MySpace and Facebook back in the day for the same reason - to maintain my band's presence online.

Back in the day I used Facebook to reconnect with old friends and stay in touch with distant family. When my son won an award or graduated jr high/high school, I didn't have to email and call and send postcards, I just posted a few pix online (not 72 pix like some people, but that's a whole nuther story) and everyone knew. I posted a class photo of my fifth grade class and everyone was able to tag themselves (including the teacher) except for two "military brats" who came and left quickly. And I used Twitter (pre-X) to see what celebrities and bands I like are up to (and catch cutting edge news stories moments after they happened, that used to be very cool).

Now Facebook is 95% reposts of images that say "I have many moods and they all require chocolate", "{politician} did these 50 things therefore they are working for Satan", "You are strong, you are confident, you aren't crazy but if you are that's ok, you can leap tall buildings in a single bound". In other words, nothing real. And TwiXter is 95% "the current administration blah blah blah and that's why we need to be even more divided".

I could thin out my friend/follow list so it's all pleasant stuff, but I like to keep my ear to the ground in regards the local nutjobs, so I have an idea of when the upcoming wacko revolution is happening and what lies they're justifying it with.

 

[scotchandcigar]

Now Facebook is 95% reposts of images that say "I have many moods and they all require chocolate", "{politician} did these 50 things therefore they are working for Satan", "You are strong, you are confident, you aren't crazy but if you are that's ok, you can leap tall buildings in a single bound". In other words, nothing real. And TwiXter is 95% "the current administration blah blah blah and that's why we need to be even more divided".

Yeah, I get my share of these, mostly from nieces, nephews, and casual acquaintances or family I've met up here. My childhood and school friends are generally the intellectual type, and don't bother with that shit. I have a couple of friends who are world travelers (one did it as her career), and they go on African safaris and to Budapest and Istanbul and ancient Italian villages. It's quite interesting.