Facebook’s policy on threats of violence. A tick means something can stay on the site; a cross means it should be deleted. Photograph: Guardian.
The Guardian has an in-depth look at the ongoing problems of Facebook. If you’re on FB, you’re no doubt already familiar with all these problems and inconsistencies, but you might want to still take the time to do the reading, it’s very interesting, to say the least. As I remarked on this post, the big problem with FB is that they are well aware of the fact that no matter how much people get upset, they won’t kill their account and walk.
As for the above graphic, one of many, “To snap a bitch’s neck, make sure to apply all your pressure to the middle of the throat.” is allowed because it’s not considered to be a credible threat, too generic. Given the sheer amount of women murdered every single. damn. day., I have a whole lot of problems with that, to say the least. Someone, somewhere, will appreciate that information, and put it to use. All I have here is WTF FB?
I had been considering going back to FB, for an Affinity feed, but have been very hesitant to do so. This made up my mind. No. My personal principles won’t stand for it.
*Ob. Disclaimer: Yes, I know most of the effing world is on FB, and that’s fine. I’m making a judgment call for myself, no one else.
Full story at The Guardian.
Yeah, no worries, I left FB years ago. And despite leaving my life continues to flourish and be filled with good things. One of which is never ever checkikng FB.
I was talked into it when it was new; it didn’t take long for it to drive me fucking crazy, I’m not a social person, and that thing was like the phone ringing constantly, with people who wouldn’t stop talking on the other end. (I don’t like phones, either.)
Back then, you could not delete your account, so I just walked and didn’t look back. When they did make it possible to delete your account (jumping through 8,000 tangles of fucking tape), I deleted my account, and resumed walking.
The Partner went through the 8,000 tangles of fucking tape and managed to permanently delete the account but man, what a pain in the anatomy. I have not got the fortitude for it.
And FB is still putting up roadblocks: when the Partner first tried, there was a helpful website with a link to FB where you could go to delete your account. FB took that page down. So now that helpful link goes basically nowhere. It took an awful lot of time and swearing to figure out how to do it. And then of course if you accidentally hit a link that went to FB, they would reinstall your account, and you would have to start all over again. I would not be surprised to find out they continue to change the procedure and make it even more difficult.
I have never had an account, and I never plan to have one. I have not missed out on a single damn thing. Fuck Facebook.
Kestrel @ 3, oh, tell me about it. I finally found a page that had step by step instructions, but yeah, even after following them, you have to stay away from anything FB for 3 or 4 weeks, I forget now, or it reinstates everything. They do that shit on purpose, because they don’t want people to leave, and by making it a gigantic pain, no matter how angry or upset someone is, they won’t do it.
All that’s needed is a ‘delete this account’, like most every site has, but no.
Yeah, here: http://mashable.com/2014/07/02/how-delete-facebook/#87g_XFG28Oqp
That list is disgusting. Glad I never joined facebook. Social media is a minefield.
Hmm. I have to take a look at their terms of service. While it’s always legal to transfer ownership of content you create, Facebook runs on ads and on selling your information. If you clearly indicate that you no longer accept their terms of service (say, by deleting your account the first time -- or even attempting to do so), there may be legal problems with Facebook making that content accessible to other people after you’ve deleted your account (as I assume happens when FB force-reinstalls your account).
Whether you think it’s a good thing or not, governments are taking jurisdiction over actions that occur over the internet even when those actions were not taken within the borders that government controls. The internet is everywhere, so everywhere has a say in what you do on the internet -- or that’s the theory. I think that this is pretty horrid doctrine: I don’t want to be subject to the laws of Saudi Arabia or Russia or Kashyyyk. But if some government has the fortitude to go after FB for refusing to relinquish control of content created by others who have made a clear indication that they reject the Terms & Conditions, well, there’s a good argument to be made there, and possibly a good result could come out of what is a horrible principle and practice. Hopefully snuffing FB’s abusive tactics will be the last use this doctrine will see before it itself is snuffed. .
A key item from the article is that moderators have 10 seconds to rule on each item. That means a lot of it is going to be a “gut reaction”, which will tend to reflect the biases of the moderators themselves and the culture they live and work in.
So okay, I’m conflicted here because I see what you are saying about the company and agree with it but facebook is also the main way I do social media and I do spend a lot of time on it & find (& share and express) there’s a lot of good people and stuff on there too and I enjoy having and using fb generally. As a medium -- a setting and tool -- Facebook has actually, well, got its advantages and good aspects.
I personally have been on it for years and mainly use it to share science articles, artwork and photos videos e.g. music ones mainly off youtube, express my opinions, share events such as working bees for environmental groups and astronomy groups and share some personal stuff like photos etc ..
Also know that there are a lot of good people on there and good groups using it to communicate and express and facilitate things I ( & I think most of you?) believe in like supporting refugees, science and environmental causes. Share petitions, info on upcoming protests, discuss issues and so on. It helps a lot of people (Jim Wright, Dana Hunter & Phil Plait to name three) and is used by a lot of good people as well as the, admitted downside of having a lot of dreadful and nasty folks on it and using it to enable their things too.
But, yeah, there are times fb drives me crazy and seems really frustrating and arbitrary and seriously messed up too in its approach to, well, the horrible stuff already mentioned in the OP and up-thread and here :
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-23/sentiment-analysis-how-the-internet-knows-if-you-are-happy-sad/8550392
Among other places.
So, I tend to think of Facebook like science and technology generally as a double-edged sword (to use an Asimovism) with potential for great good and great evil and as the medium rather than the company -- like reading the newspaper (& sending letters to the editor) versus having shares in and supporting the publishing company.
I don’t know if this helps but my two cents worth and experience here -- oh & FTW there was only one time I was suspended from facebook and that was for a day after I posted some pretty drunk and furious things about Vettel when he’d cheated Mark Webber in an F1 race many years ago.
Yeah, whatever. This is not a case of “please defend facebook”. I thought I made it clear that this my line in the sand, not anyone else’s.
People can sing the praises of FB forever, but from where I sit, they do not give one shit about actually fixing the constant fuckery they not only indulge in, but encourage. As far as I’m concerned, they are utterly corrupt. Me, I act with my presence, and my presence will not be on FB.
@ ^ Caine : Fair enough. I think the company sucks and the way it assesses and calls alot of things is seriously messed up.
One more possibly relevant thing here :
http://freethoughtblogs.com/yemmynisting/2017/05/13/facebook-banned-me-for-saying-men-are-trash/
Just seen this now.