Facebook

[Lady Lazarus]

Just wondered if I'm the only BGO'er who wastes too much time on Facebook? Does anyone else here use it (I know lots of you are on MySpace)?

[Radders]

I'm on Facebook. I used to spend a bit of time during my working day playing around on it - however our company has become wise to it and have blocked the site :grumble:

Now I only do so when I'm at home which means I don't go on it as much as I spend most of my time at home on BGO of course!

[katrina]

I'm on there, and so is BGO although I think I'm their only friend :'( I don't actually go on the site that often though.

[Lady Lazarus]

Maybe those of us that ARE on FB and don't mind other BGO'ers contacting us could join the BGO 'friend'...:)

[Bill]

I've confirmed you as a friend, LL. I'm also there under my real name, and so am a friend of myself now.

[Mouse]

I'm on Facebook, but again our council employer has blocked it as well as myspace and youtube. Spoil sports!

[Tess]

I'm on Facebook, how do I find BGO?

[Bill]

The name on there is BookGroup Online. For some reason, they wouldn't allow Book Group Online.

[Jeremy DEagle]

I'm on there as Simon Hurst :D

[megustaleer]

I'm on there as Simon Hurst :DInteresting hyperlink Amazon have supplied for you :yikes:
I do wonder what governs their choices sometimes :confused:

ETA: Fortunately those hyperlinks are only temporary :p

[Jeremy DEagle]

Interesting hyperlink Amazon have supplied for you :yikes:
I do wonder what governs their choices sometimes :confused:

ARGH! That is scary. Its been nice knowing you all :(

[Minxminnie]

Not being a Facebook user, I was wondering what the fuss is about people using it at work. Would it not be covered by any company's usual internet policy? Is there a big difference between using Facebook or shopping on Amazon on company time? I'd think they'd be concerned about either, if it's not a proper break time.
Sorry if this sounds draconian. I've never had an office job: I work in a school, where any time you're not teaching is usually busy with preparation. We don't often get the chance for personal internet use. Maybe offices are different.

[Lady Lazarus]

MinxMinnie - As a nurse I barely get time to sit down never mind while away the working hours on Facebook! I suppose if you're in an office its unpoliced, I know my husband spends a far amount of time on YouTube whilst getting paid! Most unfair...

[megustaleer]

I have always worked in some sort of 'care' environment, where being at work means being constantly occupied, so the idea of doing personal stuff in work time really shocked me, and caused me to start this thread (http://www.bookgrouponline.com/forum/showthread.html?t=1055) back in the early days of BGO.
I'm glad I'm not the only one old-fashioned enough to be surprised that work time is spent this way.

[Flingo]

I have always worked in some sort of 'care' environment, where being at work means being constantly occupied
I think it's the same for any job that involves working with people - as Lady Laz points out in an office it's completely different. I generally get home at the end of the day, and have to spend 30 mins checking work email as I haven't had a chance to do so all day on company time!

MM - I think that Facebook is covered by internet policies - I know a lot of Local Authorities have blocked staff access to it, in the same way that with many places you can't access MySpace, personal email etc. I've been following with interest the library professional message boards, where people are annoyed because they want to use things like MySpace and Facebook for promotion of events and services!

[Grammath]

I don't have a Facebook presence yet, but having received two e-mails in the last 24 hours asking me if I was on there yet which had overtones of "I'd rather use Facebook to communicate with you than e-mail because I've developed a serious addiction to it", I'm going to have to investigate at some point. I'll let you know if/when I take the plunge.

[Jeremy DEagle]

Not being a Facebook user, I was wondering what the fuss is about people using it at work. Would it not be covered by any company's usual internet policy? Is there a big difference between using Facebook or shopping on Amazon on company time? I'd think they'd be concerned about either, if it's not a proper break time.
Sorry if this sounds draconian. I've never had an office job: I work in a school, where any time you're not teaching is usually busy with preparation. We don't often get the chance for personal internet use. Maybe offices are different.

I work for the civil service and we have internet access, however, some sites are restricted, mainly ones that contravene our Electronic Media Policy. We have a varierty of categories software is blocked for and facebook is classed as 'chat and dating'.

[Ruth]

I have a Facebook account. I did have a MySpace account for all of 15 minutes, but soon realised that it wasn't for me.

[lipstick_librarian]

Oh dear... while my OH's been away I've discovered FaceBook. I doubt I'll go to bed for the next few nights. It does turn you into a bit of a stalker though, doesn't it. I've been looking at old schoolfriends, ex-boyfriends, colleagues, etc. It's amazing what people put on the net that they wouldn't tell you at work! Anyway, I've just made friends with BGO, so please come and be my friend :banana:
(pretty please...?)

[Atom]

I've had Facebook for a little while but really didn't do anything with it - however I've become fanatical atm because of the Scrabulous app. Getting some regular Scrabble games makes the site worthwhile.

[lipstick_librarian]

I've become fanatical atm because of the Scrabulous app. Getting some regular Scrabble games makes the site worthwhile.

Oh God, me too. I'm a total Scrabble addict and I can whoop almost everyone's ass, except my mom's! :cool:

[Harley]

Edit. Damnit. Lmao.

[David]

Harley, I merged your thread with the original Facebook one, though during the process you seem to have edited it somewhat. Has something gone wrong?

If you use the 'Search this Forum' tool at the top right of the list of threads you can see if threads exist for the topic you want to start.

[Harley]

Harley, I merged your thread with the original Facebook one, though during the process you seem to have edited it somewhat. Has something gone wrong?

If you use the 'Search this Forum' tool at the top right of the list of threads you can see if threads exist for the topic you want to start.

No, no. I just changed my mind a little too late, lol.

Thanks for the....merging....

> >

< <

[Squirls]

I've just been looking at all the members of Friends of BGO on Facebook, trying to guess who's who. Some are fairly easy - others not so obvious. All very intriguing fun :D

[megustaleer]

I've just been looking at all the members of Friends of BGO on Facebook, trying to guess who's who. Some are fairly easy - others not so obvious. All very intriguing fun :DWith the recently posted family news on here and on Facebook, I am fairly easy to spot. It wouldn't be too difficult to work out my name, nor my maiden name, either.
So much for trying to avoid identity fraud!

[Squirls]

With the recently posted family news on here and on Facebook, I am fairly easy to spot. It wouldn't be too difficult to work out my name, nor my maiden name, either.
So much for trying to avoid identity fraud!


Don't worry I've not been diggin that deep. :)

My sister tells me it's a good idea not to put full date on birth on facebook, as it's used by fraudsters. Not really sure how unless they've got your credit card details. :confused:

[tagesmann]

I Don't get it. What is the point? I talk to my friends (fairly regularly) and I don't think I need to rediscover old frined or colleagues or school pals. And I really don't want messages popping up when I have just popped on-line to download some music or look at BGO or do something else.

It's just another fashion, isn't it?

[MisterHobgoblin]

I Don't get it. What is the point? I talk to my friends (fairly regularly) and I don't think I need to rediscover old frined or colleagues or school pals. And I really don't want messages popping up when I have just popped on-line to download some music or look at BGO or do something else.

It's just another fashion, isn't it?
Do you really think that if Facebook added no value, it would have become so popular? It may not appeal to you but to suggest that the rest of us have joined just to be fashionable is a little disrespectful.

[Squirls]

I Don't get it. What is the point? I talk to my friends (fairly regularly) and I don't think I need to rediscover old frined or colleagues or school pals. And I really don't want messages popping up when I have just popped on-line to download some music or look at BGO or do something else.

It's just another fashion, isn't it?


I must admit Tagesmann, I didn't get it at first. I joined (when a friend invited me) and then I didn't go on for ages. I'm at work most days and fairly busy at the weekend, so don't get time to keep up with some of my friends and extended family as much as I'd like. Just recently, I've looked at my aunty's holiday snaps my cousins charity walk event and my son's teacher's pics of a recent school trip to America. It was great to pop a few comments on my aunty's pics and get a few lines back. It's not as much contact as I'd like, but it's good to let each other know that we're still alive. All my friends on Facebook are people I know in "real life"

I agree about the pop-up chat, which could be distracting if you're online for something else, but it only works if you're on the actual Facebook site itself and it's a function which can be switched off.

The only one problem I have with it, is it can be a bit addictive. I can't resist popping in to see what's been said. (Bit like BGO really). I do think it's important to try and step back and make an effort to have as much face to face contacts with your real life friends - after all you never know when you might need 'em, and they you. I have a tendency to drag my laptop about the house with me, posting comments while I'm doing other things such as making dinner, which I guess isn't good for focus and attention - but like I said - can't resist :D

[Hazel]

As a relative newbie to Facebook, I am finding it tremendous fun, but I am aware that I generally get bored of new playthings quite quickly. As I haven't yet with FB, I would suggest that it has more appeal than a mere fad.

[megustaleer]

I feel that it's a youngsters' toy really. I joined because it was the only way I had to see the photographs of my nephew's brand-new baby.
Since then I have found the rest of my brother's offspring there, and my own. As they post more information on Facebook than ever reaches me directly, or via my brother, it has been interesting to see what they are all up to.
I have also become 'friends' with several BGO members there, although so far I prefer to interact with them here. I can't see me becoming anymore active on facebook than I am so far, but Hazel is right, it is fun - although I am a bit of an internet junkie already.

BGO is the only place I've stuck with for any length of time. :love:

[Lady Lazarus]

I Don't get it. What is the point?

Well, for me and Grammath there is a HUGE point, as that's how we began chatting (after first being introduced on the lovely BGO of course!)
:D

[Grammath]

Well, for me and Grammath there is a HUGE point, as that's how we began chatting (after first being introduced on the lovely BGO of course!)
:D

What she said. BGO PMs are very unwieldy in comparison.

Actually, tagesmann, like you, I was very sceptical about Facebook before I joined it, for the reasons you state. Obviously, I'm much less so now :D.

I do regard it as largely just a bit of fun, but it has also allowed me to keep in regular contact with an artist friend in Israel and see her work.

The Jewish young adults group of which I'm a member rely on it to publicise activities. For organisations like this, Facebook is useful because, for example, they can ascertain how many people are likely to be attending an event through sending invitations to Facebook members.

So, yeah, I do spend a lot of time playing Scrabulous, but it has its useful side in addition to helping me meet a wonderful woman. :love:

[Jeremy DEagle]

Addme addme addme I need friends to make me feel popular!!!

Simon Hurst!

[tagesmann]

Do you really think that if Facebook added no value, it would have become so popular? It may not appeal to you but to suggest that the rest of us have joined just to be fashionable is a little disrespectful.
Oops. I didn't mean it that way. Although the way I meant it is no better. I mean it is just the latest "thing". Like Friends Reunited was a few years ago or like MySpace was last year. Something will be more popular that Facebook next year.
Perhaps I did mean it like that. :p ;)

[tagesmann]

Having read some of the comments I am a little tempted to have a look...

[Seraphina]

I think Facebook is a great way to keep in touch with friends, and I'm now way too addicted to the 'word twist' application, to the point that i'm dreaming about it. :p Facebook is good because it lets you see what your friends are up to, share photos etc...and very good for people like me who have a phone phobia.

[Squirls]

Oops. I didn't mean it that way. Although the way I meant it is no better. I mean it is just the latest "thing". Like Friends Reunited was a few years ago or like MySpace was last year. Something will be more popular that Facebook next year.
Perhaps I did mean it like that. :p ;)


Maybe they should all join together and become MyFace United :)

[Lady Lazarus]

a wonderful woman. :love:


Gosh, if I hear too much of that I won't be able to get my head through the door!

[SphereToz]

Does anyone else really not like the new facebook (http://www.hitmeister.de/item_all.php?id_type_item=4&categories=461) layout? It looks like an absolute mess . . .

[Jeremy DEagle]

I agree, its awful and I'm not using it.

[SphereToz]

I think that they just changed it for sake of change. The only way I can navigate through it is because I knew what it used to be like . . . I would think for someone new, it would be very confusing . . . I just don't see any purpose to it . . .

[Flingo]

I don't think its too bad - ok it'll be a bit frustrating not to have everything at a glance on one page, but that'll make life a lot easier when looking at some of my friends pages as they have about a million applications that take forever to load.

I think that they just changed it for sake of change
I wonder if you are just reacting like this because it's changed - sometimes it needs embracing rather than taking the old "we don't do things like that here" attitude?

[MisterHobgoblin]

I still use the old layout. I liked the way we could all choose how we presented ourselves - which applications, where they were, what we thought was important. For me, it's my travel, books and photos that I value; that define me; and that I want people to see of they look at my page - not what Facebook chooses to show.

[Ophelia]

At the risk of sounding rather curmudgeonly, I'll say that the minute that Facebook yields to pressure and introduces coloured profiles is the day I get rid of it! The new format is bad enough, I'm still using "Old Facebook".

[Hazel]

I didn't realise there was a new version, but I'll stick to the old one for now.

[megustaleer]

I didn't realise there was a new version, but I'll stick to the old one for now.I'm skipping backwards and forwards between them, depending on where I found a particular feature.
I'd only been on Facebook a few days when they introduced the new version, so hadn't become completely habituated, but I think I prefer the old one.
I've no idea why.

[SphereToz]

I wonder if you are just reacting like this because it's changed - sometimes it needs embracing rather than taking the old "we don't do things like that here" attitude?

It's not really so much that. I just feel like they have a room full of developers, and instead of having to lay people off, they make changes. I liked how everything was on one page (http://www.hitmeister.de/), and everything was seperated neatly . . . now the mini-feed and the wall are combined into one and looks a bit ugly.

[megustaleer]

Apart from keeping up-to-date with the lives of the younger members of my extended family, I don't really have much use for Facebook.

As far as BGO 'friends' are concerned, I don't really have any need for contact other than that provided here, so I am pruning from my Facebook page most of the people I don't know in Real Life.
I hope no-one feels slighted ;) :kiss:

[tagesmann]

I must have missed the fact that BGO has a facebook group. Anyway I joined before I realised that nothing happens there. :)

[Elfstar]

Ah well Facebook, now that's a thing. I have friends from BGO, my boyfriend's relatives, my kids' friends but all my old contacts are not on there...must be an age thing. But oh boy some of the youth language is fascinating....and Those of you I know on there Kim, LadyLazarus, Hazel must be aware of how strange my life is. Younger man, weird friends etc etc.......

[Hazel]

Those of you I know on there ... must be aware of how strange my life is. And how dull my life is!

[Calliope]

And how dull my life is!
...and how your real self is virtually identical to your BGO avatar. ;)

Elfstar, I hadn't actually realised those things about you - I think you'd be surprised by how much people don't notice!

[Elfstar]

ah, but will you look closer now? :rolleyes:

[Calliope]

ah, but will you look closer now? :rolleyes:
Truthfully? Probably not.

Facebook's a fun time waster for discovering things like that in past lives I was Cleopatra, Stalin and Grace Kelly (worried about a little overlap with those last two but not sure...), for catching up with long-lost friends (some of my friends are girls I went to school with! Being in touch with them again has been a lot of fun, because most of them are so unchanged that it's surprising) and for doing dumb things like sending a fear of pregnancy to my brother, a fear of beards to his wife, and a fear of alcohol to my soulmate who has - I think - surprised even himself with how much of it he has. But I don't actually check up on people much otherwise. Maybe I'm too obsessed with my own (fascinating, naturally ;) ) life.

[Squirls]

Facebook Criticised by Archbishop

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8180115.stm

I think I have some sympathy with this view, although I think his view about suicides is a bit over the top - I think the reasons for suicides are probably a bit more deep rooted than simply problems with Facebook.

[Calliope]

THe archbishop offers an interesting perspective, Squirls. I do think that Facebook and electronic media in general (including sites like this!) have changed the way we communicate and the way we make friends with people. Not always in a bad way. I've met some wonderful people online, and I love using the internet to keep in touch with otherwise long-lost friends. For instance, there's one girl who was a very close friend of mine at school and whom I hadn't been in touch with for about 20 years. Shortly after we started communicating on Facebook it turned out that a close relative of hers was suffering from something I know about - and she didn't have anyone else she could talk to. So I've found that Facebook can bring people closer despite the risk that you can find yourself in overly intimate relationships with people before you've taken the time to get to know them properly. (I use the word 'intimate' because this is probably a risk with any form of friendship - and it's not a new one. There is a lesson about it in Austen's 'Emma' when Emma becomes too close to Harriet before realising how incompatible they are. It's fun to imagine what Emma would have made of Facebook!! And what would Mr Knightley have had on his profile page? :D )

[MisterHobgoblin]

So I've found that Facebook can bring people closer despite the risk that you can find yourself in overly intimate relationships with people before you've taken the time to get to know them properly.
Yes - there are some paranoid nutters out there and they're not always easy to spot at first.

[lunababymoonchild]

I have an account on Facebook but only because a very good internet friend of mine - we 'met' on the internet 9 years ago - asked me to join and I only have one other friend, also someone I met on the internet.

The BGO site hasn't replied to my friendship request so I suppose nobody is running that.

I saw something about the Archbishop's comments on the news yesterday and thought that they were laughable, frankly. I really don't think that the solution to the world's problems and learning about having lasting relationships is simply to go to Chapel but then I don't exactly have the most successful life in the world myself so not in a position to comment - and I wasn't really listening anyway.

[David]

The BGO site hasn't replied to my friendship request so I suppose nobody is running that.
Hmmm. That would be Bill so I'll send him a PM about it, Luna.

[Calliope]

luna, the BGO bit of Facebook is very quiet. But quite a few of us are BGO friends, you can look us up and make friends requests even before Bill answers (which I'm sure he will :) )

[lunababymoonchild]

Thank you both.

Edit: I now have three friends on Facebook!

[Hazel]

luna, the BGO bit of Facebook is very quiet.I think it was set up primarily for a way for us to find out what was happening with BGO should another crash occur.

But Luna, you will find a lot of us in the BGO Friends section.

[David]

Edit: I now have three friends on Facebook!
And BGO should now be another since Bill has PMed me to say he's befriended you and several others who'd requested it.

[lunababymoonchild]

And BGO should now be another since Bill has PMed me to say he's befriended you and several others who'd requested it.I meant that BGO was now my third friend, sorry for not being clear. A good idea, should BGO crash.

[Calliope]

I meant that BGO was now my third friend, sorry for not being clear. A good idea, should BGO crash.
I was once a member of a website that used to crash for a couple of days every year or so. The first time, it was quite startling. I don't think you realise how much a part of your day checking up on your forums can become. (The funny thing is, it took leaving the website to make me realise that whether it was there or not hadn't made nearly as much difference to my day as I'd originally imagined :rolleyes: )

[megustaleer]

should BGO crash.Heaven forfend!
It took a major effort on the part of several members to rescue just a percentage of the posts that had disappeared. I don't think I could face all that again!

We now have a different - more expensive- arrangement with jelsoft, and everything is backed up (I hope!!)

[David]

Heaven forfend!

Indeed! Many of us still feel traumatised by the memories of that disaster! It was bad enough having a week without BGO, with all the withdrawal symptoms Kim notes, but then on its return we found that over a year's worth of posts had been destroyed!

Any glitch in BGO's working (which was the first sign of the approaching crash before) sets a little twitch off in the corner of my eye!

http://www.smilieshq.com/smilies/scared0015.gif (http://www.smilieshq.com)

[Hazel]

A quite nice thing happened on my FB. I got into the habit of copying my reviews of books on BGO over to my FB page. Regular FB members will know that there's quite a good book catalogue-y thing on FB. I thought that my reviews were just shared with my 'friends' and I intended them really to be for my sister as we are in the same RLBG. But, during a bored moment there, I looked further into the book/review thing and it turns out that anyone posting about the book in question can access your review, and some lovely girl has read my review of Lucifer volume 1, (a book I didn't particulary like) and recommended some books she think I may like. I am quite touched that she took the time to do that and embarrassed that she did so some 10 days ago and I never knew.

[Calliope]

Facebook has all sorts of different little bits and pieces, and even more confusingly, when you think you've got it worked out, they change it!!

Did your readers make any good guesses about books you might like?

[Hazel]

Did your readers make any good guesses about books you might like?She made a lot of Neil Gaiman recommendations, which I have dipped in and out of on occasion.

[tagesmann]

She made a lot of Neil Gaiman recommendations, which I have dipped in and out of on occasion.I'm a fan of his Sandman comics and have read a couple of his novel's which have been good. He has quite a good reputation in North America.

[Hazel]

I read Smoke and Mirrors a while ago, I think it was a BGO Read, and I have read Coraline, both the book and the graphic novel (which I loved). I also have The Graveyard Book on my shelf.

[Calliope]

I'm feeling stuck at my computer with an hour before my strawberries are ready to pick. I had a crop ready earlier this morning but I left my computer to go shopping and they all died.

This was tragic to discover on at least a couple of levels.

[MisterHobgoblin]

You really need to be careful to select a crop that you are going to be around to harvest.

[Twinkle]

Ive just added myself Im Sue Blakey please feel free to add me guys!

Twinkle xx

[megustaleer]

What has Bill been up to on Facebook? BGO seems to have acquired 2 dozen new 'friends' overnight. :eek: :confused:

[Apple]

I have just spotted this thread, I am on Facebook, having only been on it about a year now. People knock it but I've found it invaluable to make contact with my relies on other parts of the globe other instead of having to rely on a letter via snail mail every few months to catch up, now my news is transported that day and vice versa. Also I have found no end of people I went to school with who I had lost contact with and catching up has been fun.

I must admit I am totally addicted to the games and find myself up till the early hours on the various applications, at the last count I had 2 farms (ville and town) a cafe, a ranch, a fish tank, and an treasure island! (Yes I know I am sad!!) I even set up a facebook account for my husband who never goes on it, purely to send myself gifts now that is bad!! :o

[Elfstar]

No it isnt, i look after my bf's apps while he's away and make sure to send gifts.
I use farmville more than town, quite like country life and really need neighbours in social city, haven't got to grips with petville or treasure island yet tho. Oh and the hours I could spend on word games and mindjolt generally....


got 5 Sue Blakeys which one are you, Twinkle?

[MarkC]

I imagine the crops on my farm have all wilted as I haven't looked at it in months. The only FB game I play now is D&D Tiny adventures.

[megustaleer]

Haven't you lot got lives? :yikes:
... Or books to read? ;)

[Minxminnie]

Sadly no photos as I'd prefer my employer not to connect my on-line persona with my real name.
I thought I'd be better posting this here than on Mr HG and Kim's lovely wedding thread. Mr HG was replying to my request for wedding pics to be posted.

My question here is: do employers really do that? Trawl the internet for their employees' online or extra curricular activities? And do they have the right?

I'm in charge of a department of 13 staff, most of whom are on Facebook. I'm not, but if I joined, I'd worry about whether I should have them as "friends". (We are a friendly bunch in real life, and they have all added each other.)
What if I saw something of which I disapproved?
Our job - we're teachers - has a code of conduct which does police our lives beyond school - we are meant to be role models, and some things beyond school, such as a criminal conviction, can get you sacked. But there seems to be a wider concern here, that your employer has a right to judge you not just on your performance at work, but also on the version of yourself that you choose to portray online.
I would argue that this is unfair - as long as I turn up and do my job, and don't break other clearly defined rules for my profession, then it's up to me what bits of myself I want to reveal in the staffroom and whether I want to be the same person online. I think it's a shame that young people have to be afraid of being sacked because of drunk pics on Facebook - and can employers do that anyway?

[Hazel]

I think it's a shame that young people have to be afraid of being sacked because of drunk pics on Facebook - and can employers do that anyway?I think the employers would have to make a case that the behaviour they see on FB affects performance at work for the sacking/discipline to be legal. You could be posting drunk photos every night, but as long as you turn up at work every morning after, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and completing a full day's work then there's not much the employers could do.

The people you hear about being sacked because of FB 'reveals' are those that pretend to be ill, but talk about going to the beach that day in their statuses.

Clearly, though, there are some professions that require a more moderate expression of your FB self; police, teacher, judges, politicians... but working in that environment you should be already toning down your wilder proclivities!

[Minxminnie]

I see - clearly your employer would be entitled to be concerned if you posted pics of your windsurfing holiday while you were off sick!

But what if I'm off sick and claim to be windsurfing? Do we have to tell the truth online?

Mr HG obviously thinks, or fears, that his online persona would conflict in some way with his work self. Or maybe he just prefers the freedom which comes with anonymity - that's why I like being Minxminnie on here. That's one thing that I don't like about Facebook - the fact that you go by your real name.

Does anyone else have conflicts about who to add and what to reveal about yourself? Do you add your mum? Your boss, or your employees? Do you ever think that, in real life, you would have told something to one person but not another, but through social networking you end up telling all to everyone?

(Can you tell I've just been doing some articles about this with my 5th yrs? :) )

[lunababymoonchild]

That's one thing that I don't like about Facebook - the fact that you go by your real name.Untrue, I'm on Facebook using a name not dissimilar to my login here, for the simple reason that FB wouldn't allow the whole login just a part of it, and thus I remain anonymous even on FB. It's also possible to choose a name that isn't your own, match it to a valid hotmail address and get a FB page (I tried that first). Which all makes me sound very sinister indeed, but I simply prefer to remain anonymous online and any and all BGOers who have applied to be my friend are told by online message what my real name is, my RL friends already knowing.

That said ..............

Does anyone else have conflicts about who to add and what to reveal about yourself? Do you add your mum? Your boss, or your employees? Do you ever think that, in real life, you would have told something to one person but not another, but through social networking you end up telling all to everyone?I'm very very careful about what I say online regarding where I live, what I'm doing and any other personal information. For example, I didn't fill in my date of birth, education or other personal details on FB, although there are some hobbies/interests, nor do I post photographs (I don't have any!) nor am I in any (as it turns out). As for choosing friends, only those that I recognise from here or those that I know already. Not for me the 400 - 500 friends who could be anybody at all. That approach does negate the social aspect of FB I have to say, and hypocritically, I do enjoy others photos etc. However, it also means that my personal information cannot be gathered and used as identity fraud (this has already been done with other people).

The people you hear about being sacked because of FB 'reveals' are those that pretend to be ill, but talk about going to the beach that day in their statuses.I heard of a woman who said something disrespectful of her manager on her FB page and was sacked, since it constituted a sacking offence, and the only people she claimed who could get to see said comment were the people she worked with, i.e. her FB friends. Clearly somebody cliped!

[Hazel]

You can still maintain privacy and have a FB account - it's all about content. I don't reveal anything private. I use the email facility if I want to have a private conversation and I don't just add friends for the sake of it. A lot of the people I worked with, including my boss, are my friends. But then, I have no problem with how I life my life, I have nothing to hide.

[tagesmann]

Looking back at this whole thread I found an early post where I was sceptical about facebook. Then I found a later post where I discussed - with no shame - the fact that I joined. Shame on me.

Interestingly I recently found another account with my name and when I looked at it, it was me. I must have joined right back when it started and then not used the account.

I don't post much on bookface but do like to see what others are up to. And so far all of my friends are either people I know in RL or from BGO.

I might do a few friend requests. No obligation...

:o

[Hazel]

]
I might do a few friend requests. No obligation...
You've already got me!

[lunababymoonchild]

And me!

[Elfstar]

But not me :rolleyes:

[MarkC]

With the exception of "BookGroupOnline" (in case of future server crashes ;) ), every person on my facebook account is someone that I know. So I use my real name, although I have most privacy settings at "friends only". Not that there's anything terribly private on there - most of my recent posts were a running commentry on things leading up to my house move. Any photos that I post also end up on my flickr so can be seen by anyone.

[Jen]

I haven't got a FB account and find the whole concept unappealing. I know that some people are very indiscrete and you hear tales of sackings, being passed over for promotions etc but they could all be urban myths.

What does concern me is when parents "friend" their children and are then conflicted when they read details of what their children and children's friends are up to. A friend of mine read a reference on her step-daughter's page to her spending the night with her boyfriend, I think she felt she'd rather not know!

[lunababymoonchild]

I haven't got a FB account and find the whole concept unappealing.I did too but another online friend of mine asked me and so I created the account for her benefit and for a long time it was just me and her. Then another online friend asked me, then a RL friend and it went from there. You do hear stories of FB in particular being famous for having absolutely no privacy at all, in spite of their settings but I think that if you are careful you should be alright. I don't play any of the games that are available, I should point out (being rubbish at computer games in general and much too lethargic to try), and I have 17 friends, which is enough to make it interesting but not too many that I can't keep up with them.

My life is so incredibly boring it's not worth a FB page at all actually but it's good to see what interesting lives the other BGOers have, I must say, especially off board (so thanks for that everybody!).

[iff]

i have a facebook account, it's very private. my settings would be "friends only" (and sometimes not even all my friends)

it's up to 40 friends but they would all be people i know made out of primariliy school friends, college friends and family members.

[Jen]

Despite my reservations, I know that if I were 20 years younger, or a more sociable type, a FB account would be a must-have. I imagine it's hard to negotiate university these days without it.

[FirelightSpirit]

I've recently joined Facebook, primarily to keep in touch with family and my university connections, many of whom would use Facebook to publicise their work. I think it's a bit risky for people to be putting things up for everyone to see, but I think if you're careful about who you share with and what you share you should be fine.

[Barblue]

I recently started using fb by 'borrowing' the account my brother set up for this cat!!! Now that's anonymity for you. ;) So far it seems to consist of family members who spend all day and night playing games like farmville on the website!! I really don't get it.

[tagesmann]

I got an invite to Google+ today.

Everything I have read so far sugests it is better than Facebook. So far I like the fact that you can categorise your contacts. This means you can share to different people. The default groups are: Friends, Family, Acquittances and Following. But you can create custom groups. Picassa is linked in and I have already posted from my Android 'phone.
The only thing is... I only have one contact so far... :)

[Grammath]

That's bizarre, I've also today received an invite to join Google+, but I'm guessing not from the same person....

[tagesmann]

That's bizarre, I've also today received an invite to join Google+, but I'm guessing not from the same person....Ooh! I've just added you as an acquaintance. If that's not too rude...
Or should I have created a new Circle?

[David]

I was quite excited to receive my invite, but then noticed it was to Google –

Presumably this is not so good.

[Jeremy DEagle]

I'm on Google+, Twitter and Facebook. I have to be honest and say I've not used Google+ much at all, probably out of habit.

I've never posted my details on here as I'm not sure a lot of my content would perhaps be suitable for this forum! I tend to think speaking on here is how I would speak to my parents ;)

[David]

I tend to think speaking on here is how I would speak to my parents
And quite right too, my boy. I hope you've got clean pants on...

[Ailecornum]

And a nicely laundered hankie

[momac]

I'm on Google+, Twitter and Facebook. I have to be honest and say I've not used Google+ much at all, probably out of habit.

I've never posted my details on here as I'm not sure a lot of my content would perhaps be suitable for this forum! I tend to think speaking on here is how I would speak to my parents ;)

Good heavens Jeremy, what are you up to that's not fit for this forum. :D

[Jeremy DEagle]

Well... There is the sheep posing pouch pic for one.....

[David]

Well... There is the sheep posing pouch pic for one.....
Like I said, so long as it's clean...

[lucyb]

But it's so hard to keep wool clean - cool wash only!

[megustaleer]

But cleanliness is the only way to avoid Fly Strike (http://www.jacobsheep.co.uk/hints.htm)

[lucyb]

But cleanliness is the only way to avoid Fly Strike (http://www.jacobsheep.co.uk/hints.htm)

Sorry JdE, looks like it's into the sheep dip with you!

[Jeremy DEagle]

Keep this up and I'll post the damn pic!

[David]

Keep this up and I'll post the damn pic!
Well, you need to be careful it doesn't attract the wrong attention, Jeremy...

http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/4866/sheepi.jpg

[Jeremy DEagle]

She looks vaguely familiar...

[tagesmann]

This discussion between Kristin Hersh and her fans about the finances of the music industry is very interesting http://www.facebook.com/strangeangels/posts/10150386392646038

[Barblue]

Fascinating and eye-opening too. Thanks tagesman.