social media

[Eris Lunara]

about the time I started using facebook, I made up a second persona. This one did not specify gender, but I've allowed people to think it's a woman. A rather strange odd woman. So do I call this electronic crossdressing?

I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one here who has done this.

[KimberlyS]

If it works for you Eris. It is sure cheaper and easier to pass.

Kimberlys

[DonnaT]

Nope, not the only one. Just have to keep them separated.

[Hanna]

Face apps are great. I never used one yet.
But you present a false image of yourself.

[Melissa Mac]

I know more than a few girls who have a second Facebook account, myself included

[Diana Michelle]

People still use Facebook? I was on it years ago but deactivated the account easily 5 years ago though it may still be floating around in cyberspace somewhere, have no idea. IMO as long as you are not harming anyone have at it and enjoy!

[Lauren]

In light of the recent whistle blower testimony has your attitude changed towards social media?

[KimberlyS]

So much of any business is all about the money.

[Diana Michelle]

Corporations are in business to make a profit and IMO they are entitled to. Now I do have issues with excess profits but that is another debate for another time. Where I do take issue is profits at the expense of the general welfare and I do believe many are guilty of that including social media sites.

I am going to start here by saying I did once use Facebook but deleted that account probably 5 years or maybe longer ago. TBH it became I began to find it tedious and got tired of opening my page after maybe 2 or 3 days of not looking at it and finding 137 "friend" suggestions. I will also say while I grasp the concept of "influencers" on apps such as Instagram and TikTok I find it difficult to wrap my mnd around how people can not see these as commercials for whatever. I do use Twitter but it is more for political issues and a little fun and laughs.

The influence of social media is huge on our current society and IMO way too many rely on it as their sole source of news, information, and even opinions. I admit to getting much of my news off the web but from several sources, some of which I subscribe to such as newspaper sites. However like I used to do when I actually read a newspaper or watch the local or national news I take everything with a grain of salt understanding the slant of the particular outlet. Today too many believe "I read it on the internet so it must be true."

The other night my sister in law and I left the hospital and seeing as neither of us had eaten since breakfast we stopped to get something to eat. As it was close to 9:00 we decided on Applebee's. There a couple of tables away right in my line of sight sat a family of 4. I would guess the parents were mid to late 40s and the children probably 16 and 14 or thereabouts. As they sat there they never said a word to each other, not even looking up. Rather all 4 were focused on their phones scrolling away.

My biggest issue with most of the social media is the almost hypnotic effect they seem to have on people. Friend suggestions, recommendations who else to follow, the placement of certain posts in your timeline are all there to feed your need turning into an addiction. Maybe this is a personal peeve but how I can look at a certain item on Amazon then for 2 weeks or longer I am trolled with ads and emails for similar products?

[Ralitsa]

I agree with you Diana Michelle. I also don't have any moral or philosophical objections to social media, but personally I have zero interest in spending any time or effort on them. To me they are more of an annoyance, but if someone else wants to be addicted to them I care not at all.
I actually do have a Facebook account, or at least I used to and think that I still do. A friend of mine uses it to market her soap and skin care products to my family and all their friends. One time a few years ago I tried to log into it, but it told me I was an imposter.

The one serious, major objection that I have to the way social media is used, is that certain untrustworthy law enforcement agencies (in other words all of them) are using it to calibrate their facial recognition software to make spying easier for themselves. Consequently, I make sure there are plenty of photos up of people who look vaguely like they could be me, but aren't. And no pictures at all of really me.

If I were going to post pictures of actually me, I would be very careful to do it under an identity that was difficult to connect to my real self. And then that sort of defeats the entire purpose, because you can't then connect with people you know. Which means that if I want to connect to people I know, I call them on the phone and talk, or go visit them.