Facebook and Twitter

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What on earth are they for now? I added Twitter to 'like' a couple of people whom I am interested in hearing their view and Facebook to join groups of like-minded users for specialist information.  I dont have friends or followers on either as I did in the past as I found this to completely mind numbing as well.

I also liked things like the Government, BBC, Springwatch and a few generalist information sites which I though would be useful and I am now firmly of the opinion that our descendants will look upon this period of social media as the time during which it provided a vehicle for the complete idiots to spout bile and crap about one another.

I kid you not, it seems that everyone is shouting at one another.  Even on such sites as Gardener's World, the most innocuous question or comment can turn into a complete slanging match.

I made the mistake of reading some of the comments on BBC News and its pure hatred.  Racists out in force, anti maskers, anti any everything, scammers, dodgy looking filipinos wanting to be your 'friend'.  Im not even convinced most of the profiles are actually real.  Social media is a very unpleasant and scary place for sure and much of it doesnt even appear real.  Its primary usefulness of a place to connect with people seems to have disappeared a long time ago.

Caveat: Angry People in Local Newspapers on Facebook is very funny at times, but everywhere else is just terrible.

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 plyometrics 26 Jul 2020
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

“What on earth are they for now?”

Flat Earthers, predominantly.

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

I don't use Twitter, but I think it has two roles.  The first is as a way for organisations, companies and the like to engage with their stakeholders, and that's an important thing.  The second role is to give the infinite number of internet-enabled monkeys a vacuum into which to pour their all-too-frequently tedious thoughts and feel that this somehow matters.

Facebook is something I use to keep in touch with friends and family.  I don't engage with groups, particularly.

T.

 Doug 26 Jul 2020
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

When I was living in the Paris suburbs & working in the city centre I found the twitter 'groups' for each métro & suburban train line very useful - much more up to date information than that given by SNCF, RATP etc. Since moving away I don't think I've looked at it. Facebook is mostly for looking at family photos or keeping in contact with friends in other countries.

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

Facebook's content algorithm has been serving up weird UFO stuff at me recently making me spend less and less time on the site.

 ian caton 26 Jul 2020
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

Er twitter is the fastest way to get a response from hmrc, the council, the bank, supermarket or whatever. Usually a few minutes.

Etc, etc, etc. 

Why listen to the news when the journalists you respect chuck it on twitter first, or flag up new stuff?

I could go on. 

 john arran 26 Jul 2020
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

I find the best way to use twitter is to follow people whom you are interested in what they may have to say, reading their contributions, and then studiously avoiding scrolling down to the replies, which far more often than not, especially when the subject is at all political, are determinedly confrontational.

Another top Twitter tip, if you do end up getting sucked into reading threads, is to actively dismiss anything by a user with a string of digits after their name, as in my experience these are overwhelmingly either automated bots or shills paid to spread hate and dangerous misinformation.


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