Social Media

[Jcloughie]

We do use Facebook, but it drives me a bit wild as it never seems to do what I expect of it.

Instagram. What is that about? We look because the grandchildren use it. But it is over in a flash and you just cannot get back.

We use Nextdoor. It is OK for local notices and sales. But mostly people having a rant. Also, topics do not have a title, so you keep going to rubbish. 'here is a picture of my cat'. WOW.

But Linkedin. Does anybody use it? I find it great for following ex work colleagues. I can also support them with references. It is nice to stay in touch. My profile says I am a college head of department (retired). But I keep getting job offers! Now the latest thing is they are suggesting recruiting companies I may wish to use. When I was at work I kept getting calls from recruiting companies. Despite my telling them that was never how we recruited.

Then there is this nice forum. You know exactly where you are.

I don't have security concerns. Got a lot of protection.

Sorry rant over.

John

 

[Niall_McIntosh]

"But Linkedin. Does anybody use it?" I used to use it when I worked, and it occasionally I will see interesting bits of information regarding former colleagues. However, since it became part of Meta, it has become more and more like Facebook. I'm not on Facebook, and I'm begining to ask myself if there is any benefit in remaining on Linkedin, if it's becoming a Facebook clone.

 

[Sam Vimes]

I don't use any social media platform. I played with Facebook in its early days under a fictitious name but quickly saw where it was heading. So quit and never been inclined to join anything like that.

I think you'll find LinkedIn is owned by Microsoft, which is trying to become just as bad as the other tech companies.

 

[Steve1962]

I use Linkedin a bit as i'm working still.......it's good for networking but I find that I still get job offers and people that I don't know introducing themselves to me trying to sell their products but I suppose that's inevitable.
I did have Facebook......for about two hrs......then decided I didn't actually need it.

Places like this are the best!!!

 

[Niall_McIntosh]

I don't use any social media platform. I played with Facebook in its early days under a fictitious name but quickly saw where it was heading. So quit and never been inclined to join anything like that.

I think you'll find LinkedIn is owned by Microsoft, which is trying to become just as bad as the other tech companies.

Oops, my mistake, it was WhatsApp that became part of Meta! However, I still think that Linkedin is trying to be more and more like Facebook though......

 

[otherclive]

I created a Facebook account a few years back, but closed it after a very short time as my kids had no wish to be “my friend” and only one grandchild opted to be a “friend”. To be honest couldn’t really see what it offered me, that I couldn’t do before hand.

I am on LinkedIn but since it doesn’t provide “medium services” I’m not using it very much these days.

 

[Jcloughie]

I think others are pretty much of the same mind as myself.

With the use of AI in the operating software, you would think they might have twigged that I am retired. But I guess it is easier to just keep trying to sell their services. It then begins to feel that they are scammers.

It is a shame. As via Linkein, I am helping (in a small way). Someone in Cornwall who is doing my old job but with more modern technology. So it is nice to stay in touch. 10 years ago I used, and took an interest in Moodle software. (Used worldwide and free with governments support). But only of any use in education. so nice to see how it has improved.

I don't use any social media platform.

I think you do Sam.

definition
"Social media refers to the means of interactions among people in which they create, share, and/or exchange information and ideas in virtual communities and networks".

John

 

[Dustydog]

I’m still on Linked In. Time to close it down. Looking at some of the people I worked with LI seems a vehicle for Narcissism!
Facebook , yes. I can handle it and quite like keeping in touch.
Family wise we set up a number of What’s app groups. family Sport things etc.
As for the rest of titter etc , not for me

 

[JDP]

I use to have a LinkedIn account as well but just got fed up being pestered all the time with a load of rubbish I was not interested in. changing jobs was a good time to leave it.
if I need to talk to somebody I pick up the phone, it’s always good to talk direct, apart from this forum which serves other purposes as well what is the point of social media, do we really need it?

 

[Parksy]

I have no problem with Facebook and have used it for years.
I guard my security, I never click on links that want to spy on me or offer goods or services, and I run both a public choir page and a closed one open by invitation to choir members only.
I use Facebook to share news and pictures with family and friends without any problems.
No information about me is available to the general public, and I restrict those who can see my posts.

 

[Mel]

I am on a few face book groups and have bought a couple of items from Facebook marketplace. I believe in buying good second hand stuff ( saves me money, actually does reduce the carbon footprint and all that). Always do cash on collection on the doorstep but you wouldn’t believe the number of people who go on FB and say “I have been scammed. I sent this total stranger a lot of money via BACS and he promised to courier the awning to me the next day and it hasn’t turned up……”
Mel

 

[GaryB]

LinkedIn seems to vary depending on what industry you’re in, mine just seems to be full of folks lying about how successful they are! I have used Facebook for 14 years but it just seems to be full of advertisements, I just use it for the few car groups I belong to.

There’s also Strava, I use this daily to record my cycling and use it to compete with mates.

 

[Sam Vimes]

I think others are pretty much of the same mind as myself.

With the use of AI in the operating software, you would think they might have twigged that I am retired. But I guess it is easier to just keep trying to sell their services. It then begins to feel that they are scammers.

It is a shame. As via Linkein, I am helping (in a small way). Someone in Cornwall who is doing my old job but with more modern technology. So it is nice to stay in touch. 10 years ago I used, and took an interest in Moodle software. (Used worldwide and free with governments support). But only of any use in education. so nice to see how it has improved.

I think you do Sam.

definition
"Social media refers to the means of interactions among people in which they create, share, and/or exchange information and ideas in virtual communities and networks".

John

It was a typo. I meant to say 'anti-social' media 😉

 

[otherclive]

For family chat we created “ Lockdown Family chat” on iMessage , but ohone, individual messages and face to face are our communication channels. For friends I use email, phone or meals out.

 

[Hutch]

I joined LinkedIn many years ago, then found I was recieving, requests from people that were nothing to do with my trade, another Facebook thing so ditched it.
I use FB or private groups like the old company I worked for. I soon realised that friends request were generated by FB and not actually from people.
I don't normally post pictures of my dinner or breakfast at Weatherspoofs, or pictures of my flight ticket, saying boarding in 20 minutes,
I will stick to this forum and Caravan talk.

 

[Jcloughie]

It was a typo. I meant to say 'anti-social' media 😉

Now that was clever.

John

 

[ProfJohnL]

I do not like what many call social media. for many of the reasons already given by others above.

Technically I suppose this forum is classed as social media, but I don't use it to send personal messages, And I do use WhatsApp, but I only use dedicated restricted interest groups.

But my biggest thing about social media is how many different platforms there are, and each needs you to have the app, I simple don't use them, and on the odd occasion I bump into someone who asks why didn't I reply to a message on facebook, or instagram, or twitter, or post time, etc etc .... I have tell them I don't use those platforms and if you want to message me I only use email or text.

I hate the number of times I'm asked to rate a product service or business, It wastes my time, and theirs. If they are doing the job correctly they should know by the lack of complaints they receive.

And when it comes to caravan manufacturers, they should welcome the complaints they get as it should show them where to put the effort into their designs and services to make them work better.

 

[Sam Vimes]

I also find it irritating that many people assume you are on Facebook. Our community newsletter often has notice of events, matters of local concern or things for sale and the only contact details to find out more are through Facebook.

Likewise we'll often get asked if we saw such and such on Facebook.....No!

 

[otherclive]

I find that an increasing number of businesses are tending to prioritise Facebook over their website. Whilst fir many you can view information but you cannot search or message. Frustrating to say the least. My daughter used FB so if I’m looking to sell stuff she will put it onto the Market Place. FB is how she found out about the Sprocker that was offered for rehoming. So it’s not all bad 👍

 

[GaryB]

Social media has also given rise to a new style of bullying and faceless intimidation. Some of the comments and replies on Facebook and some forums are beyond rude. Nasty, spiteful individuals suddenly have an outlet to belittle others that they’ve never had before.

Thankfully this place seems free of it but I left another caravan forum not so long ago as a handful of the contributors were pure poison.

 

[Buckman]

I use FB for two Buccaneer groups plus my our regiment's group. I have no friends on FB as never wanted a list of friends that I have never seen or even know. Never used Instagram so no idea what it is even about.

 

[Beachball]

I also use Facebook but i have joined a fishing forum got a lot of friends and family but i guard my security but sold a lot of stuff on marketplace and brought a nice Bulldog caravan security hitchlock it was sent next day delivery some years ago .
But use have account with LinkedIn but closed it when i retired through ill health from work

 

[Ukdave2002]

Like most things, using social media has its good, bad and ugly sides. FB and LinkedIn enabled me to contact some lost Uni friends, our village has a FB group that's useful for communicating to a broader group , I guess its FB as most in the village are middle or older, had it been a younger community we would probably have Snap Chat or Instagram.

We use WhatsApp groups for technical questions on classic cars, the groups relate to specific models, so the messages are to a targeted audience, just as I started writing this reply a question popped up asking "What the cylinder head stud thread was on a 1935 Morris Eight?" within 90 seconds someone had replied "M10 x 1.5 ", the good side of social media!

Clearly the "Online vs Reality" and bullying are the bad side, not the fault of the app, I suspect reflects and amplifies some of the challenges we have in society.

I also suspect there is a section of the community who live in "fear of missing out" so join everything and post every bit of their life, or more specifically the "wonderful" life that they want everyone else to think they have. As was said decades before any social media; there's nowt so queer as folk.

 

[Gozza2]

I use Facebook as it's a good way to keep in touch with friends all over the country from a hobby I no longer do, so I wouldn't otherwise see much of them.

We have a family group on WhatsApp, and Mrs Gozza sets up a WhatsApp group for the people involved in each event her company runs. Similarly she's on Twitter, Insta and LinkedIn because as a self employed event organiser she needs to be active on any channels that potential clients might use. I'm not on any of them - I have a Twitter account but can't remember the last time I looked at it.

One thing we do like is Life 360 - me, Mrs Gozza and Gozza Junior have a "circle" on it, which means we can see each other's locations on a map, and we can define locations so we get alerts when each of us arrives or leaves one of them - "Gozza has left Gozza's Mum's house", or "Gozza Junior has arrived at his girlfriend's".

Oh yes, and at the start of lockdown someone started a WhatsApp group for our road which was really good, and has continued to be useful as normal life starts to return.

 

[Dustydog]

Since the 23rd March 2020, 50 people, including some on here have enjoyed Cricklade Lockdown Comedy Club via e mail only this not open nor visible to outsiders.
I wonder if email is dying out?🤪