Facebook help needed

[niall]

I recently created a Facebook account, and need some advice.

 

I wasn't happy doing it, as I don't trust Facebook, but the study I'm doing has all their resources through Facebook. So, if I want access to that material I have to have a Facebook account.

 

It has the minimum amount of personal information I could get away with, but it still shows me lists of "friends" who I should connect with. Many are people I knew doing security and who I definitely don't want to connect with on Facebook. I wasn't going to add any "friends." I was just going to use it to access the study material and that's it.

 

I made add the mistake of telling a young nurse I work with that I had a Facebook account (she will be studying paramedical science next year) and straight away she added me as a friend. I'm surprised she found me. There are so many people with the same name on Facebook how did she know which one was me??

 

She is a nice young nurse who I've had several good Bible discussions with and, since she is going to do the same studies I'm doing, I didn't think it would hurt adding her as a friend.

 

Now I'm flooded with all the things she likes or comments on!! She is only 21 and must spend every waking hour on Facebook!! Some of it is a bit offensive, but it's the pure bulk of the stuff that's amazed me. 

 

And now I've got others wanting to add me as their friend!

 

My questions are:

1. Is there any way to filter this stuff out? I thought Facebook allowed you to communicate with friends. I didn't realise it would open the floodgates and spam me with everything that other people do!

 

2. How do you incorporate Facebook into your Christian life?

 

Thanks

[niall]

One more question.

 

3. How do you tell Facebook not to suggest friends?

 

When I initially set it up it asked for access to my address book. I denied this request but, somehow, it was still able to show me a list of people I knew - some of whom I haven't seen for years.

 

I've deleted some, but it still manages to find others.

 

Now it appears, since I've added this nurse as a friend, all her friends are showing up on my list. A lot of them know me through work and are requesting me as a "friend!"

 

I'm beginning to regret creating a Facebook account.

[Life4u]

49 minutes ago, niall said:

 

 

Now I'm flooded with all the things she likes or comments on!! She is only 21 and must spend every waking hour on Facebook!! Some of it is a bit offensive, but it's the pure bulk of the stuff that's amazed me. 

 

And now I've got others wanting to add me as their friend!

 

My questions are:

1. Is there any way to filter this stuff out? I thought Facebook allowed you to communicate with friends. I didn't realise it would open the floodgates and spam me with everything that other people do!

 

2. How do you incorporate Facebook into your Christian life?

 

Thanks

My Facebook account is deactivated when I have no reason to look for something on it. When I do I simply sign in or log on and do what it is I want and when finished I deactivate again. As for those add friend request just ignore them.

 

In order to not see peoples page's there is a button you press on, maybe a symbol > or ^ something similar, in the corner of their post. It will give you options to chose not to follow that person and what ever they say or do will not show up on your page.

 

I hope this helps.

Edited September 6, 2016 by loving life

[niall]

Thanks,

 

I've been accessing facebook on my iPhone so there might be more options if I log in on my Mac. 

[Life4u]

42 minutes ago, niall said:

Thanks,

 

I've been accessing facebook on my iPhone so there might be more options if I log in on my Mac. 

Oh yes from a computer there are more options. Sorry I forgot that part.

[Alexa]

 

Quote

 

2. How do you incorporate Facebook into your Christian life?

 

[GeordieGirl]

I have an active  Facebook account.  There is nothing wrong with it as long as you operate it properly.  The first thing I would recommend doing is logging on securely,  using https when you sign in and not just http.  

 

You can log on to fb on both a phone and a tablet via your Web browser,  as it is much easier to control your account,  but will sometimes it will automatically default to the mobile version.  

 

If you don't want to get all the rubbish from people you are friends with,  click on your name at the top of your account, and then go to the tab where it says 'Friends'. Next to their name in your friends list it will say 'friends'.  Click on there and it will give you options as to whether you get notifications or not. Untick the notifications option and also,  if the friend category says 'close friends',   untick that too. 

 

If you need anymore help, you can find me on fb.  

[GeordieGirl]

14 hours ago, loving life said:

My Facebook account is deactivated when I have no reason to look for something on it. When I do I simply sign in or log on and do what it is I want and when finished I deactivate again. As for those add friend request just ignore them.

 

In order to not see peoples page's there is a button you press on, maybe a symbol > or ^ something similar, in the corner of their post. It will give you options to chose not to follow that person and what ever they say or do will not show up on your page.

 

I hope this helps.

 

So your account isn't actually deactivated, you are just logged off. If you deactivate it, it means it doesn't exist anymore. 

 

[GeordieGirl]

15 hours ago, niall said:

One more question.

 

3. How do you tell Facebook not to suggest friends?

 

When I initially set it up it asked for access to my address book. I denied this request but, somehow, it was still able to show me a list of people I knew - some of whom I haven't seen for years.

 

I've deleted some, but it still manages to find others.

 

Now it appears, since I've added this nurse as a friend, all her friends are showing up on my list. A lot of them know me through work and are requesting me as a "friend!"

 

I'm beginning to regret creating a Facebook account.

Don't worry about it.  Because fb is a social media network it's prime use is connecting people, and it is actually no different to LinkedIn, Google+, instagram or any other networking site in that is its prime purpose - connecting people. Once you have a few friends it won't do that so much. The best thing to do is add a few people you know .... you can add me if you like -  I won't bother you,   turn of notifications as I showed you how in the other reply, and you won't be bothered by all the rubbish. 

 

 

 

Edited September 6, 2016 by GeordieGirl

[Hope]

I enjoy FB very much.  The majority of my friends there are Witnesses, although I have some people I work with as well as family members.

 

Despite some annoying people/situations (as we have in real life), I've found my FB association to be predominately upbuilding, spiritual, and to be honest, the newsfeeds I follow keep me abreast of the news to the point where I don't even watch televised news anymore.

 

Niall, please add me, if you like - Terri, too!  I have a list I created JUST for Witnesses and there are lovely discussions there about WT articles, experiences in service, milestones met, etc.  Facebook is what YOU make it - you are not bound to what others do.  

[jayrtom]

Like already mentioned Facebook's purpose is to connect people, and there's nothing wrong with that per si! When you create an account it's major goal is "help you" get started to get some friends. It has a very good AI to find friends for you. For example if you entered a shool name where you studied it will suggest friends from that school (and some people really are happy to get to talk to long lost buddy's from school). Other example is people form the same place of work, people that share the same interests in books, movies, etc... All in all, you'll be surprised of how well it finds people that you really know even if you didn't enter any of the previous information's (maybe you have the location option of your mobile turned on and he detects your whereabouts even if you don't say where you live, so it suggests people from the same area...)

Anyway, Faceboo is good to in the way it lets you tweak it as you like - Take some time to review all the privacy settings.

If you don't like something you see pick the little down arrow and you'll have options for future publications of the same kind.

You can also change some settings that disable the possibility of anyone adding you as a friend or even find you there. You'll be able to add friends from you're side if you want

 

At this moment, my tweaked FB is the  primary place for news, contacts with family, co-workers, or just watch some funny videos. It is also the place where I post poems and thoughts that I want to share with others. I post something, on average, twice a week (or once a day during my vacations). But at least once a day a scroll through the news feed everyday. I gave up using email for sharing or seeing anything because it's much faster on FB. For instance you scroll the news feed and if you find a video you like (posted from a previous filtered list of friends) you don't need to download it or open it in a link you just stop scrolling and watch it on the spot... the same for a music posted using spotify... If you aren't interested you just scroll down to the next thing... An elder from my congregation doesn't have a FB account and doesn't want to have one but is always sending me emails of zero value for me that I don't even open (but If I wanted to open to see a video for example I would need to save it first or go to youtube)  he even sends a bunch of false stories or experiences... I've already reasoned with him for him to stop spreading those emails but it entered on one hear and got out on the other  

[Life4u]

14 hours ago, GeordieGirl said:

Edited September 7, 2016 by loving life
Didn't come out correct.

[Life4u]

14 hours ago, GeordieGirl said:

So your account isn't actually deactivated, you are just logged off. If you deactivate it, it means it doesn't exist anymore. 

 

Okay Facebook Police

Edited September 7, 2016 by loving life

[jayrtom]

18 hours ago, GeordieGirl said:

So your account isn't actually deactivated, you are just logged off. If you deactivate it, it means it doesn't exist anymore. 

 

actually it can be deactivated just as she said.

You can deactivate an account and it appears to others as if it doesn't exist. Not even your friends can find you, see your posts, comments (even older ones) etc... But as soon as you log in again the account is reactivated again and everything goes back to normal as if you never deactivated it.

On the other hand you can log off but in this case your posts, comments, etc are still viewable to others and they can still give comments. ask friendship, etc.. Since you are logged off you don't see anything of it or receive any notifications of it (unless you had activated the option to receive everything by email in which case you would receive every info even if logged off). When you log in, after having logged off you will see every thing that has happened while you where absent... like a bunch of notifications to see, comments to reply, etc....

[GeordieGirl]

6 hours ago, jayrtom said:

actually it can be deactivated just as she said.

You can deactivate an account and it appears to others as if it doesn't exist. Not even your friends can find you, see your posts, comments (even older ones) etc... But as soon as you log in again the account is reactivated again and everything goes back to normal as if you never deactivated it.

On the other hand you can log off but in this case your posts, comments, etc are still viewable to others and they can still give comments. ask friendship, etc.. Since you are logged off you don't see anything of it or receive any notifications of it (unless you had activated the option to receive everything by email in which case you would receive every info even if logged off). When you log in, after having logged off you will see every thing that has happened while you where absent... like a bunch of notifications to see, comments to reply, etc....

Apologies.  I stand corrected. I thought if your account was deactivated you actually had to request to reactivate it.   

Edited September 7, 2016 by GeordieGirl

[niall]

Thanks for the input.

 

I get that Facebook is a social network, but I didn't realise the amount of "stuff" it would throw at me! I also didn't realise how acceptable filth was. I have been exposed to filth working in security and hanging around my old friends before I was baptised, but there was always a time and place to mind your language. That doesn't seem to exist on Facebook. As I said, this one nurse I added is quite nice. Nothing she has posted is offensive, but it seems when she comments or likes something, Facebook displays related material. In one instance the avatar (?) of a person associated with that post was the drawing of a vagina! I understand Facebook belongs to Satan's world, but I didn't expect Facebook to put that stuff in my front page. And then there is the language!!

 

It serves me right for adding a worldly person and being exposed to her friends. I have spoken to her about it and she agrees. It's one thing to be exposed to that kind of stuff at work, or out and about, but I don't want it in my personal/private life. :/

 

I'm a lot happier now hearing from you all, and even some of the young nurses at work who have shown me how to remove individual posts without having to unfriend someone completely. 

 

I can can also see the benefit of having a stream of "stuff" from Brothers and Sisters so I might take up the offer from some of you if that's Ok. I just have to work out how to find you.

 

I am also amazed, and a little shocked, at the accuracy of the "suggested friends." It has found people who I haven't seen for over 25 years. It's even found 2 ex girlfriends (from over 20 years ago)! Since I haven't given Facebook access to my contacts, they must have have my phone or email in their contacts - I'm not sure whether to be flattered or worried.  

 

Anyway, thanks for the help. 

 

[Life4u]

It's something you have to be careful with, and you have to remember that if and when you post something your post will be seen by your friends and their friends unless you set it to only show up to certain friends or only you. Facebook knows a lot about it's face bookers. Your likes ect. Sorry I can't explain it better as some.

[Hope]

One thing - be sure to notice who your posts are seen by.  I think it may default to Public but you can easily set your default to Friends - and from there, even more specifically if you create lists or groups for targeted people.  I only post to Public when it's something publicly spiritual - invitation/campaign, positive news about our assemblies/conventions/rescue work, etc.  It's not difficult but it's worth the initial attention paid.   

 

You can also disallow yourself from being tagged, having things randomly placed onto your Timeline by others,etc.  If you have any specific questions, I'm happy to assist!

[Hope]

One thing - be sure to notice who your posts are seen by.  I think it may default to Public but you can easily set your default to Friends - and from there, even more specifically if you create lists or groups for targeted people.  I only post to Public when it's something publicly spiritual - invitation/campaign, positive news about our assemblies/conventions/rescue work, etc.  It's not difficult but it's worth the initial attention paid.   

 

You can also disallow yourself from being tagged, having things randomly placed onto your Timeline by others,etc.  If you have any specific questions, I'm happy to assist!

[niall]

On 09/09/2016 at 3:03 AM, Hope said:

One thing - be sure to notice who your posts are seen by.  I think it may default to Public but you can easily set your default to Friends - and from there, even more specifically if you create lists or groups for targeted people.  I only post to Public when it's something publicly spiritual - invitation/campaign, positive news about our assemblies/conventions/rescue work, etc.  It's not difficult but it's worth the initial attention paid.   

 

You can also disallow yourself from being tagged, having things randomly placed onto your Timeline by others,etc.  If you have any specific questions, I'm happy to assist!

 

Thanks, I didn't know that I could create lists/groups, or about the tagging etc. 

 

I think the first few posts that showed up when I first created the account were the worst. But, it was a good lesson, otherwise I could have let my guard down. Some of the nurses I work with have helped me out. Through facebook I've been able to reconnect with some of my old security/Police mates - the ones who always respected my decision to become a Witness.

 

I'm a "friend" of Bill Underwood.  And I've begun "following" some of the people he communicates with. So, I'm getting more spiritually healthy posts on my main page.  

[Hope]

Next is to put your face out there.  Here  and there!

[ChrisC]

On 06/09/2016 at 4:29 PM, GeordieGirl said:

So your account isn't actually deactivated, you are just logged off. If you deactivate it, it means it doesn't exist anymore. 

 

My FB account is deactivated. But it still exists somewhere! I occasionally activate it to contact a company when I have trouble making phone calls due to breathlessness, then I deactivate it again. (I suppose deactivated just means no one can find it?)

[GeordieGirl]

On 16/09/2016 at 10:31 AM, niall said:

I'm a "friend" of Bill Underwood.  And I've begun "following" some of the people he communicates with. So, I'm getting more spiritually healthy posts on my main page.  

I'm also a Bill Underwood 'friend'.  

[tekmantwo]

9 minutes ago, GeordieGirl said:

I'm also a Bill Underwood 'friend'.  

He's a popular guy...

 

He's on my list as well. ..

[GeordieGirl]

7 hours ago, tekmantwo said:

He's a popular guy...

 

He's on my list as well. ..

So you must be on FB too.  Off to try and find you though I'll be unlikely to succeed.