Facebook - issues with, use of, anything about it....

[Cockney Sparrow]

I come across facebook many a time on internet searches and here. I rather regret backing out immediately of the link on

http://www.for3.org/forums/showthread.php?23510-This-is-what-HIPP-sounds-like-to-me%E2%80%A6&p=862762#post862762

in view of my policy of not using facebook except very rarely. I regret it, because I would welcome some light relief along the lines of the much missed Portsmouth Sinfonietta.

I recall reading an article saying its almost impossible to avoid the tentacles of facebook ranging over one's data and profiles.... Although I've got nothing to hide, my starting position is "why give up my data?" - not least when I'm really not sure how authoritarian our government intends to or will become or how long so many apparently unconcerned members of the electorate will return them them under a re-jigged - no make that about to be rigged - electoral system.

I'm thinking of using a tablet using Android which got very slow/seized up with multiple apps (& multiple tabs on web browser) which I got useable by installing a light burden web browser and removing many apps (I've acquired a newer tablet for general use). I would use this older tabllet for music player (using Chromecast audio for replay) and facebook only. I'd need to be sure I can remove (or lock access to) the Google Drive & other Google Apps. Its a NVIDIA Shield tablet never used for gaming, ad I'd like to avoid rooting it or some such as that also seems complicated?

Alternatively I could acquire an old notebook or laptop only used for the purpose.

Does anyone have experience of setting up Facebook definitely contained?

[Dave2002]

No - and personally I'd still generally avoid it.

I did watch the redubbed video though - just because it was on FB doesn't automatically mean it was going to cause a problem.
You don't need to have FB installed or an account to watch that video.

After the recent revelations about phone hacking I think it makes sense to be very careful.

[kernelbogey]

Just don't use it at all. But when loading the Guardian site, I've noticed, as connections made skim through a little window bottom left, fb passes through - of course because you can use it to forward a link to a Graun article. Who knows what other stuff it might be hoovering up? Somewhere I read that fb scans you whether you are a 'user' or not.

[cloughie]

I use it mainly for our singing group but it is also useful for local information.

[Petrushka]

I'm on three local groups but am careful never to get involved in any name-calling or political stuff. It's easy enough to block anyone you've fallen out with so neither of you can see each other's posts and there isn't a problem in restricting access to information about yourself that others can see. It's this aspect that I care about much more than whatever Facebook might be harvesting about me. I'm old enough not to care that much, in all honesty, and they're welcome to it.

[Dave2002]

It's this aspect that I care about much more than whatever Facebook might be harvesting about me. I'm old enough not to care that much, in all honesty, and they're welcome to it.

I try not to give out any information unless I feel that it's almost completely benign.

I'm more interested in your quote - "The sound is the handwriting of the conductor" - Bernard Haitink

One of my friends years ago - a musician - went to a concert conducted by Kurt Masur. His comment to me afterwards was that the sound of the orchestra - which I think was one of the regular UK orchestras - was completely different, and very well balanced. He was obviously very struck with the balancing of the sound.

I'm not sure that many conductors have such a strongly identifiable signature - based solely on the sound. They may have noticeable characteristics based on what they do with the pieces they conduct, or simply even the fact that they are conducting those pieces, but how many conductors really do have such a strong influence on the sound that they can be rapidly identified?

[Bryn]

I resurrect this thread in order to avoid clogging up the Forum Bombshell! thread with views on the benefits and disbenefits of FB.

One negative aspect I associate with giving minimal personal information when registering or updating registration details is that of incoming 'friend' requests. If there is only the most minimal information about the background and interests of the requester, I simply reject the request. I may be rejecting some useful contacts as a result.

[RichardB]

It would be regarded as quite eccentric if someone of my profession were to have no "social media presence" so I do use Facebook (with the third party FBP extension that removes advertising and other annoying things before I see them), both as a private individual and as a representative of my place of work. It has its annoying aspects, and one does need to bear in mind that while it appears to be free this is because one is the product and not the consumer, but apart from professional matters and the occasional rant (and no doubt for what one forum member has called my "interlectual masturbation") I use it to stay in contact with many far flung friends, I mean real friends not Facebook "friends". Earlier this year an old and dear friend living on the west coast of the USA passed away (not someone anyone on this forum would know or have heard of) and through FB I was able to exchange thoughts with him and send love and support until the very end. I can put up with a lot of social media unpleasantness to be able to do something like that.

[Serial_Apologist]

I resurrect this thread in order to avoid clogging up the Forum Bombshell! thread with views on the benefits and disbenefits of FB.

One negative aspect I associate with giving minimal personal information when registering or updating registration details is that of incoming 'friend' requests. If there is only the most minimal information about the background and interests of the requester, I simply reject the request. I may be rejecting some useful contacts as a result.

Usually I check their other "friends"; if none are recognisable I usually reject.

[french frank]

Usually I check their other "friends"; if none are recognisable I usually reject.

When we (or someone for me) set up the original Friends of Radio 3 FB page (off my personal page), I scuttled around pressing "Add Friend" for all the musicians, their associates, contributors to Radio 3 &c, not knowing there was a rule that you were supposed only to request to be a 'friend' if you knew them personally. Although quite a lot of them accepted (thinking, I now suppose, that I was wanting to follow them, but really I wanted them to look at our FoR3 propaganda), but someone complained and I got locked out of our own page. I had a series of impossible tasks to prove I really knew these friends. Like: Which 'friend' posted this photo (of a baby playing with a fluffy ball)?

[Joseph K]

not knowing there was a rule that you were supposed only to request to be a 'friend' if you knew them personally.

That rule is news to me. My 'friend' list would be rather smaller if it were restricted to people I knew personally!

[Bryn]

That rule is news to me. My 'friend' list would be rather smaller if it were restricted to people I knew personally!

Likewise, though I tend only to send the very occasional FB friend request and if it is someone I do not know personally, I will usually message them first to introduce myself. It is fair to say that FB has enabled me to reestablish a good many friendships from many decades ago.

[french frank]

That rule is news to me. My 'friend' list would be rather smaller if it were restricted to people I knew personally!

Possibly not a fixed rule. I found this:

"We recommend sending friend requests to people you know in real life, such as your:
Friends.
Family.
Colleagues.
Classmates.
[...] To get updates in your News Feed from people you don't know personally (e.g. journalists, celebrities, political figures), try following them instead.
Note: We recommend only accepting friend requests from people you know. If you're getting unwanted or inappropriate friend requests, you can report the account or block them. "

I think the problem must have been that someone reported me.

[eighthobstruction]

Likewise, though I tend only to send the very occasional FB friend request and if it is someone I do not know personally, I will usually message them first to introduce myself. It is fair to say that FB has enabled me to reestablish a good many friendships from many decades ago.

[Beresford]

It's worth going through all your Facebook settings (30 minutes?) switching off all the unwanted settings, eg "suggestions".
Also FBP (Face Book Purity) stops quite a lot of fluff, as Richard suggests.