In this age of identity theft, why are you using facebook?

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   ib radmastersposted 11 years ago

   Can you in real life actually put all of your friends in the same room at the same time? Can you give them all the same information?

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      Cagsilposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      No. I don't have enough room here. I would need a banquet hall to do so.
      I don't see why not. I guess it would depend on how comfortable one is with each one of their friends.
      
      But, to answer your title- Yes, I use Facebook and I have my account completely accessible to my friends or the general public. Then again, I'm not an idiot who puts "everything about my life" on Facebook.

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         ib radmastersposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         so then after your explanation, I am puzzled even more as to the need for facebook.

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            Cagsilposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            The "need" for Facebook is traffic.
            
            In a social global economy, each hub you share on Facebook is a potential stream of earnings. The main reason for writing down anything is to express oneself and have other people read the material. If you are just writing for yourself for therapy, then so be it.
            
            If you are here to write and get readers, then Facebook and it's popularity can be helpful.

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      Uninvited Writerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I have a lot of people who I just know online on limited profile. They don't know everything about me. I don't share very personal information with anyone.  I've never had a problem with Facebook.

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      Dale Hydeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Using Facebook is the future of business related pages. Some research on this matter will answer your question. Social media is a form of search. Those who are are in business know and are advised to connect to the various social media platforms out there.  That is for a business page. Now to get to the personal page, if you are a business owner or do have services for sale, Facebook and other social media is a must as well.
      
      You can protect your privacy on Facebook without any problems. I have been there for years. Those who end up with major issues usually do something unwise such as clicking an unknown link.  I have several articles out there, not on HubPages by the way, that address these particular issues.  Facebook itself is not a big threat. It is the way people use Facebook as members. Simply don't click on things that you are not familiar with and be sure that you are using some type of malware software that works alongside of your antivirus to protect you from ads that have had the scripting manipulated by outsiders.  That is for any site, actually.

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   psycheskinnerposted 11 years ago

   Um, so it the question the one in the title or the one in the post?

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      ib radmastersposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I never realized that they were two different subject, so really the question is the title.
      
      Thanks

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   Hypersapienposted 11 years ago

   You don't have to post everything about your life.  Don't provide your birthday, SSN, mother's maiden name, etc. and you should be fine with respect to identity theft.  (And if you need more info, I have a hub on identity theft.)
   
   As to your your other questions, it sounds as though maybe you're asking whether all of your FB "friends" are trustworthy.  If you're like most people, you probably don't know all of your "friends" exceptionally well so the answers is probably "Yes" to putting them all in the same room, "No" with respect to the same info.

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   1. 60

      ib radmastersposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I agree, but then I still don't understand the use of facebook.

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   Wesman Todd Shawposted 11 years ago

   I've got three very nice acoustic guitars - there isn't much else to steal from me.  Poverty is the freedom to say what other folks are often afraid to say.

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      jenuboukaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thumbs up to that!

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      Paul Wingertposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      There's an old saying that goes, "A free man owns nothing"

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         ib radmastersposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         that was before the internet

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      ib radmastersposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Your identity

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   Paul Wingertposted 11 years ago

   I have a FB page with friends that I actually know (about 32 of them). Actually I need a FB page like I need a hole in the head. I do not click on any ads or play games.

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      ib radmastersposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Unless these friends are friends of  each other, that is amazing.
      Thanks

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   Arlene V. Pomaposted 11 years ago

   I don't miss Facebook.  I killed my account last Christmas, and I am perfectly happy to keep in touch with my family and friends by calling, writing or getting together for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  I prefer meeting with all of them in person.  No, I didn't invest in the recent IPO, either.

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      ib radmastersposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Arlene
      
      I am impressed you did that and giving a personal touch with family and friends is more meaningful and rewarding than a technology one.
      
      In addition, I think it is safer for keeping your identity private.
      
      The IPO might be a money maker?
      Thanks

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   Arlene V. Pomaposted 11 years ago

   ib radmasters, I'm sure you know many people who have not taken the Facebook plunge.  A recent show of "Anderson" (Anderson Cooper) showed a lot of nightmares concerning Facebook and how anyone can get into your Facebook account information and scam you out of your money.  This included people who study the videos on your account so that they can imitate any of your friends.  Posing as you, they will call and tell you that they are stuck somewhere and need some money.  Some poor woman took the bait and thought her grandson needed some cash for an emergency.  She really thought that was his voice.  The whole scam took about $4,000+ from her.
   
   I have written a few Hubs on gradually killing my Facebook account.  I didn't care to know that once Facebook gets a hold of you, they don't want to let you go.  They don't make it all that convenient to delete your account, and they give you a deadline in case you change your mind.  A deadline?  Do they think they are that important for a cyber outfit?  They want your information, and will take you back anytime.
   
   As for the IPO?  There is something about the Boy Wonder that I do not trust.  Facebook attracts social networking, but as far as I observe, people get on there to socialize or play games.  Who cares about the advertising?  I never clicked on any ads while on Facebook.  In fact, I thought their advertising was poor.  Their ads certainly did not get my attention.   
   
   GM pulled out their advertising campaign right before the IPO came out.  They claimed that Facebook did nothing for sales.  Facebook is a social networking site, and is not known as a business that makes money in advertising. 
   
   As far as IPOs, go, they usually climb in price when they first come out.  No doubt, there were millionaires in the making, but otherwise, Facebook fell flat when it came to its original IPO price.  I was hoping those initial stocks would climb because California could have used some of that money!

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   1. 60

      ib radmastersposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Arlene
      
      Your comment was brilliant and cogent.
      I liked all of it.
      
      Thanks

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   Arlene V. Pomaposted 11 years ago

   I don't need to chase the money.  And I don't need to chase the traffic and the clicks.

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      Uninvited Writerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Many writers do...

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         Wesman Todd Shawposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         My idea of success is doing what I want to do, do I have everything I want?  No, I want everything I have.

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   Motown2Chitownposted 11 years ago

   Lemme tell ya.  If identity theft is about being someone else so you look better financially, then no one in the world wants to be me so I'm safe.  Trust me. 

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      ib radmastersposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      You might be surprised on how much debt you could have put on your name, if the id thieves get into your world.

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    Uninvited Writerposted 11 years ago

    If you are careful, Facebook is no more dangerous than other sites.

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    Marcy Goodfleischposted 11 years ago

    There are many things about Facebook that I can't stand.  The immaturity of Boy Wonder shows in some of the decisions  FB has made is putting everyone at risk.  The site is run with. Junior High mentality and they're willingb to sell and share our personal actions and information far more wantonly than even credit card firms.  But unlike credit cards, they have little regulation. 
    
    An example - a friend of mine got a video on her feed that said Joe Blow (someone she knew and trusted) had just viewed it. She clicked and started watching, and found it sexually offensive.  It turned out Joe Blow (her friend, who is a church leader) and similarly clicked and viewed - not knowing it was bad content.  But once you click it open at all, it is programmed to send the video to ALL your contacts, with a message that you viewed it.  Even if you only saw five seconds and closed it out.
    
    About 30 minutes after she briefly opened the offending video, she got calls from her daughter and others asking if she was viewing porn now.  At first she was confused - then embarrassed and furious. 
    
    That's just one example of the invasive practices on Facebook.  I have to admit I like being in touch with friends from yearsvago, or this who have moved away.  But I also admit to feeling a bit of schadenfrueden at the drop in value after the IPO.

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    Arlene V. Pomaposted 11 years ago

    I don't want to bother with this site.  Period.  It is a relief that I don't have Facebook anymore.  When I joined a writers group, they all put an emphasis on having Facebook, a blog, a website, and business cards for the writing career.  Really???  So you check into these sites, and they are pretty much empty.  Or they have merged their personal life with business.  Which does not work.  Nothing takes the place of human contact.  I would much rather communicate with a person through conversation.  I want to look them in the eye and observe body language.  In the flesh.  Facebook is just another screen where everyone can be what they want to be.  Which means the ones who are so full of themselves can pump themselves up in the name of "business."  Social media is merely a description of people disappearing on you anytime they want.  You want to think that you've got their attention, but you don't.

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