Facebook: Five things to avoid

[Gerald]

Joanne Fraill, the juror who contacted a defendant on Facebook, is facing a spell in jail for contempt of court when she is sentenced later on Thursday.

She has learned the hard way, but for the rest of us there are some essential "don'ts" if you want to stay out of trouble on Facebook. Don't......make friends with people you shouldn't.

http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/7941/53426430167360197664873.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/689/53426430167360197664873.jpg/)
Men attracted to amputees befriended Charlotte Fielder.

Add as a friend? Think before clicking "confirm". Ms Fraill didn't. The juror said it was empathy that led her to track down Jamie Sewart - a defendant in a drugs trial - on Facebook and later become "friends" with her. The contact was disclosed to the judge and in less than a year Ms Fraill was back in court, this time in the dock.

While this case is a first in the UK to involve the internet, it is not the first time Facebook users have picked the wrong friends - and certainly won't be the last. Nathan Singh, a prison officer at HMP Leicester, was shown the door after serving inmates were found to be among his Facebook friends.

But bad choices are not always obvious. Charlotte Fielder, who was born missing a hand, unwittingly befriended men on Facebook who pretended to have lost a limb themselves, but were, in fact, sexually attracted to amputees. Later, she found her profile image had been copied and posted onto a pornographic website, where obscene comments were made.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13775479


Note: 16 June 2011 Last updated at 00:57 GMT

[NeonSamurai]

I avoid facebook entirely

[Gerald]

And I have no account at all, and no interest for that matter!

[Syxx_Killer]

I joined Facebook initially to play some of the games. I have since lost interest in those as they all suck. :yawn: Anywho, I only keep my Facebook account now to keep in touch with a few family and friends. I also use it to follow some interests like TV shows, bands I like, sports teams and such. I deleted what personal photos I uploaded. Now, if I post an image it is just some generic image that I might find funny and want to share.

One thing that I really tire of on Facebook are stupid posts like "I'm tired" or "So bored". I find that whole thing pointless and irritating. :damn:

[Sailor Steve]

I joined facebook because my friend Neal Stevens had a page there for his website. My long-lost daughter contacted me there on my 60th birthday, and I now keep up with both my girls and their families, as well as some old friends. Like any internet site it's an easy target for abuse, but I also find it a useful tool for staying in touch with real friends. I can easily avoid the fake ones.

[Herr-Berbunch]

I agree with Steve, it can be a great thing if used correctly. I have friends and family all over the world and facebook just seems to be able to conveniently tie everyone back together. Letters are okay, but take a long time to be delivered (compared to anything e- or i-), and always forget something. Phone calls again the distance can be a problem, costs and time zones, and I don't want a good friend in Afghanistan to use his 20 minute allocation phoning me when he or she could be speaking to his or her wife/husband and kids (rather, they wouldn't want to be.... and I don't blame him/her/them). Not everyone has Skype.

It obviously has it's more seedier side, but what doesn't these days?

I'm not stupid enough to add people I don't like, or my bosses. I don't play any of the games on there, I did but not for long. And I don't fall for these 'click here to see who's been checking out your profile'.

It is nice to see many friends' pictures, and it's a great reminder for birthdays.

[Tribesman]

I think that given the nature of the exchanges in that story in the OP the woman should have got a hell of a lot more than 8 months jail.

[Onkel Neal]

I agree with Steve, it can be a great thing if used correctly. I have friends and family all over the world and facebook just seems to be able to conveniently tie everyone back together. Letters are okay, but take a long time to be delivered (compared to anything e- or i-), and always forget something. Phone calls again the distance can be a problem, costs and time zones, and I don't want a good friend in Afghanistan to use his 20 minute allocation phoning me when he or she could be speaking to his or her wife/husband and kids (rather, they wouldn't want to be.... and I don't blame him/her/them). Not everyone has Skype.

It obviously has it's more seedier side, but what doesn't these days?

I'm not stupid enough to add people I don't like, or my bosses. I don't play any of the games on there, I did but not for long. And I don't fall for these 'click here to see who's been checking out your profile'.

It is nice to see many friends' pictures, and it's a great reminder for birthdays.

Same here. It's a tool, can be useful, useless, etc. Not really much to do there, but it's nice to have when needed.


BTW, if someone here wants to add me as a friend (http://www.facebook.com/subsim), be sure to include some short message with your friend request, such as your SS forum name. I turn down requests from people I do not know. SS members I add, if they id themselves as such. :salute:



###

[Jimbuna]

I think that given the nature of the exchanges in that story in the OP the woman should have got a hell of a lot more than 8 months jail.

Agreed, she cost the British tax payer at least £6 million.

I've a Facebook account because close friends here 'advised' me it was a cool thing to have.

Can't remember the last time I was on it and don't remember the password LOL.

[kiwi_2005]

I do not like FB design layout its too plain I use to use Bebo long time ago in that site you could setup your pages to look pretty cool you could also go as far as designing your own pages if you wanted too. When Bebo died out I tried FB and didn't like it from day one. Its just plain and boring.

[Ducimus]

I avoid facebook entirely

And I have no account at all, and no interest for that matter!

THIS.

I make it a point to never put ANY personal information on the net if it can be avoided. Facebook is entirely the opposite.

Never pubicly put personal information up on the internet, in any context. (General location is about all ill usually volunteer)

[Garion]

I only use Facebook to keep in touch with family and a few old friends. Like most things on teh internets it's open to abuse, but as has been said above, if used with care it can be handy.

Cheers

Garion

[BossMark]

1.everything
2.to
3.do
4.with
5.it

[Gerald]

Lucky then that there is a choice to want to be with or not, :yep:

[Jimbuna]

THIS.

I make it a point to never put ANY personal information on the net if it can be avoided. Facebook is entirely the opposite.

Never pubicly put personal information up on the internet, in any context. (General location is about all ill usually volunteer)

As is the case (personally on SubSim).

[FIREWALL]

I keep in touch with family and friends on the telephone and with LT with cam.
Very private and personally safe. :yep:

[Platapus]

I am still amazed at all the Facebook people who are so proud of their "friend" count. And these from people they don't even know.

I like the joke: How can you tell how many friends a Facebook member has?

Don't worry, they will tell you. :D