

How Facebook Ruins Friendships - evanreyn
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204660604574370450465849142.html

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DTrejo
Some things I've learned:

* never look at the profile of someone you're interested in.

* never look at an ex's profile.

* I prefer my own profile page over the "Home" page.

If you absolutely have to look at the profile of someone you're interested in,
get the information you need and get out. Don't look at any pictures whatever
you do! The result will always be bad!

A helpful question to battle jealosy/envy when you do run across something
unsavory:

"Why would these two people be talking on facebook? Why aren't they just
talking on the phone or something? They must not really be that close, since
they're talking on facebook after all..."

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zaidf
If you don't do all that, what _do_ you do on facebook?

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pmorici
An older colleague pointed out this article to me the other day, as evidence
in support of their opinion that Facebook isn't all it's cracked up to be. In
response I said,

This article isn't about Facebook so much as it is a commentary on the effects
of new technology on the evolution of social norms.

I'm sure when the telephone was invented people had similar complaints. As we
develop new technology we must also develop new etiquette for it's use.

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TomOfTTB
I don't think that's true at at all. The problem this article brings up isn't
"with Facebook" as much as it's with the fact that Facebook doesn't make it
easier to delineate private items from public items. Which, imho, is one of
the biggest un-talked about issues our society faces.

Facebook is modeled after a very childish model of "I'll just share everything
with the world". But now you have everyone from future mates to HR departments
checking people's profiles and under that scrutiny the current model doesn't
stand up well.

You want to invent a Facebook killer all you need to do is figure out a way
for people to share everything they do on Facebook while only giving select
"friends" access on an item by item basis.

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pmorici
Exactly, new etiquette. Don't post things to a persons wall that are best said
in a private message. don't post embarrassing pictures of yourself or others
etc...

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madebylaw
This post is a duplicate: <http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=784824>. There
should be some kind of test that runs and alerts a poster of possible
duplicate entries. Thoughts?

~~~
DTrejo
The urls are different

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sqnz
The only thing I check on facebook is the pictures of the babies of my
brothers :-) I only see my nephews once every 3 months, so facebook is great
there! And occasionnaly I send a message to an old acquaintance from high
school or get an invitation to go to some event. That is great.

But all the useless talk that make up 90% of the facebook experience... it's
stupid the author is right there.

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c00p3r
Facebook is not about friendship, but networking. It is just a way of
communication or time wasting.

