My heart has been heavy these past few days. This morning I thought I would share some thoughts on a lighter subject, Facebook. It was the day before yesterday when there were issues. From what I understand problems were experienced for fourteen hours. I remember being annoyed that I was unable to post, thinking it was my problem. I thought perhaps Facebook had decided I said something they didn't like and was blocking me. I did get a threatening notice from them once a while back. Someone got their feelings hurt and reported me. " I'm telling " is what I heard in my mind, must have been a liberal. But whatever the case was, Facebook wasn't working properly.
Now someone I know had posted a meme about Facebook not working. I don't recall who or what it said exactly, it really doesn't matter. Anyway, I left a comment saying for me, I find it hard to complain about a service I get for free. It doesn't stop me from being annoyed and disappointed when it doesn't work but I remind myself, it is free. I was surprised by the number of comments I received in reply to that remark. Well, at least some were in response to my comment I think. It is sometimes hard to tell who the comment is directed at and that leads to confusion. I don't want to be one of those folks that think every comment made is made in response to them. In general if I am directing my comment toward you, your name will be included in that post. I hit reply under whatever you posted rather than a general comment. I think that is the way it was designed to work.
I did read the comments and some people were genuinely upset that their Facebook didn't work! One person in particular was talking about " lives lost. " It was determined later on that perhaps this person had gotten their news mixed up. I'm still trying to figure out how Facebook could have caused the plane crashes. Other people informed me that Facebook wasn't free! The premise being they were collecting your information and selling it. So, in that way it was costing you! Another said they bought advertising on Facebook, so it wasn't free. In my thinking that would be paying for the advertisement, not the service, but whatever. I was amused by the apparent anger some displayed. Reminded me of a bunch of children after their parents turned off the television. I heard Instagram and one other thing was similarly affected. I don't use either one. I expect the reaction was pretty much the same.
I wonder if those complaining realize that having Facebook is not a right. You have no constitutional right to Facebook. Facebook, being a free social platform has the ability to block you from posting, or indeed, from using their platform at all. The reason for that? It's free to use. In the terms of use they ask if you are 18, it states you must be 18 to have an account. How many have lied about that? Have many have read the terms and conditions at all? I can safely say, I have not! I'm thinking if I did I may have hesitated a bit more before agreeing to it.
I'm not saying I wasn't annoyed that my Facebook wasn't working, I was. The thing is I was amused later on by the comments. Yeah I know I made the " wise guy " remark about it being free and how you really shouldn't complain. Yeah , I know nobody wants to hear that. But, thing is, someone has to say it. It is like trying to stabilize a rocking ship, someone has to move to the other side. Someone has to try to center things. I was trying to bring calm to the storm. I hope everyone weathered the storm alright and made it safely through. Fourteen hours without Facebook! I couldn't help but be reminded of the great East Coast blackout. That happened in 1965. It affected over 30 million people and lasted in some places for thirteen hours! Not quite as bad as losing Facebook though. Maybe that was simply because you can't miss what you never had. There was no Facebook in 1965 and we only got three channels on the television anyway. Complaining? You bet there was complaining. I was 12 at the time and thought it was pretty cool. We had to eat the ice cream before it melted. Maybe that is what folks should have done the other day. Eat some ice cream, relax. The blackout ended and we are posting away again. I survived!
Now someone I know had posted a meme about Facebook not working. I don't recall who or what it said exactly, it really doesn't matter. Anyway, I left a comment saying for me, I find it hard to complain about a service I get for free. It doesn't stop me from being annoyed and disappointed when it doesn't work but I remind myself, it is free. I was surprised by the number of comments I received in reply to that remark. Well, at least some were in response to my comment I think. It is sometimes hard to tell who the comment is directed at and that leads to confusion. I don't want to be one of those folks that think every comment made is made in response to them. In general if I am directing my comment toward you, your name will be included in that post. I hit reply under whatever you posted rather than a general comment. I think that is the way it was designed to work.
I did read the comments and some people were genuinely upset that their Facebook didn't work! One person in particular was talking about " lives lost. " It was determined later on that perhaps this person had gotten their news mixed up. I'm still trying to figure out how Facebook could have caused the plane crashes. Other people informed me that Facebook wasn't free! The premise being they were collecting your information and selling it. So, in that way it was costing you! Another said they bought advertising on Facebook, so it wasn't free. In my thinking that would be paying for the advertisement, not the service, but whatever. I was amused by the apparent anger some displayed. Reminded me of a bunch of children after their parents turned off the television. I heard Instagram and one other thing was similarly affected. I don't use either one. I expect the reaction was pretty much the same.
I wonder if those complaining realize that having Facebook is not a right. You have no constitutional right to Facebook. Facebook, being a free social platform has the ability to block you from posting, or indeed, from using their platform at all. The reason for that? It's free to use. In the terms of use they ask if you are 18, it states you must be 18 to have an account. How many have lied about that? Have many have read the terms and conditions at all? I can safely say, I have not! I'm thinking if I did I may have hesitated a bit more before agreeing to it.
I'm not saying I wasn't annoyed that my Facebook wasn't working, I was. The thing is I was amused later on by the comments. Yeah I know I made the " wise guy " remark about it being free and how you really shouldn't complain. Yeah , I know nobody wants to hear that. But, thing is, someone has to say it. It is like trying to stabilize a rocking ship, someone has to move to the other side. Someone has to try to center things. I was trying to bring calm to the storm. I hope everyone weathered the storm alright and made it safely through. Fourteen hours without Facebook! I couldn't help but be reminded of the great East Coast blackout. That happened in 1965. It affected over 30 million people and lasted in some places for thirteen hours! Not quite as bad as losing Facebook though. Maybe that was simply because you can't miss what you never had. There was no Facebook in 1965 and we only got three channels on the television anyway. Complaining? You bet there was complaining. I was 12 at the time and thought it was pretty cool. We had to eat the ice cream before it melted. Maybe that is what folks should have done the other day. Eat some ice cream, relax. The blackout ended and we are posting away again. I survived!
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