Facebook Phobia a CFS issue?

[Sasha]

Just to be clear I commend Sasha for helping to get the number of ME charity voters up.

I am just saying, better to acknowledge and explain the risks.
Then people can judge their health Vs the issues before joining in.

I am happy to explain a little on twitter but won't hijack this thread.

Thanks, Greg - if there are any risks, I agree we want them clear so that people can make their own decision - that's why it's good to have a thread like this with it all out in the open.

 

[svetoslav80]

Here's what I get when I try to change my real name in facebook:

Warning: Name changes are limited. Please use your real name or you may be blocked from making more changes in the future.

WTF! Facebook obliges me to type in my REAL name.

 

[Tulip]

Here's what I get when I try to change my real name in facebook:

Warning: Name changes are limited. Please use your real name or you may be blocked from making more changes in the future.

WTF! Facebook obliges me to type in my REAL name.

LOL

The idea of using a fake name, really only works for people that currently don't have a facebook account and want to start up a new one. I wouldn't advise using a common name, more one that is unusual/offbeat and unlikely to be someone elses name. My fake name is an unusual name. I don't see a problem with it for the purposes of voting or research info..

 

[Sasha]

LOL

The idea of using a fake name, really only works for people that currently don't have a facebook account and want to start up a new one. I wouldn't advise using a common name, more one that is unusual/offbeat and unlikely to be someone elses name. My fake name is an unusual name. I don't see a problem with it for the purposes of voting or research info..

I wonder about women who marry and want to change their surname on Facebook?

Anyway, if starting up a new a/c it's important that the name of the email address linked to it matches the Facebook name - they check on this sort of thing to detect false votes. I have a separate, free Yahoo email account for this sort of thing.

Also, be careful not to choose some name that's too crazy to be real (if there is such a thing!) - I think Chase was warned about a bunch of names consisting of almost all consonants.

 

[Sasha]

Thanks for raising that, Sushi - it's extremely helpful to know about people's worries and I can understand why they would be concerned about that. Here's what it says on the contest website:

Why do I need to become a fan of Vivint and provide access to my information? Will I receive email communications from Vivint by becoming a fan?

The purpose of becoming a fan of Vivint is so that administrators are able to track participant votes. It also allows you to spread the word about the Project because you can comment on the charities that you vote for, and notify friends about the program. We hope that you will use the fan page to create awareness about the opportunity charities have to receive donations from Vivint's philanthropy fund. It has no direct tie to Vivint's business mail or email campaigns.​

Can experienced Facebook hands tell us if becoming a fan and allowing access to personal info is the same thing?

I'm just off to bed (UK!) but will edit this question and responses into my first post.

A friend of mine kindly got a clarification from Vivint about the implications of giving access to personal info when "liking" Vivint - they simply will make no use of it. They want to use the "like" mechanism for the purposes they describe but won't make any use of the personal info - asking for it is just something Facebook's system does automatically when you "like" someone.

Reassuring! I will edit my first post with this info. Thanks again for raising it, Sushi!

 

[Tuha]

Here's what I get when I try to change my real name in facebook:

Warning: Name changes are limited. Please use your real name or you may be blocked from making more changes in the future.

WTF! Facebook obliges me to type in my REAL name.

why do you want to change your name. make simply a new account -I have also 2 accounts - one for ME/cfs stuffs (faky one) and one real for my friends.

 

[Tuha]

LOL

The idea of using a fake name, really only works for people that currently don't have a facebook account and want to start up a new one. I wouldn't advise using a common name, more one that is unusual/offbeat and unlikely to be someone elses name. My fake name is an unusual name. I don't see a problem with it for the purposes of voting or research info..

I think if you want you can make thousands of facebook accounts. just be careful that your name is similar to your email adress. I also think it doesnt matter if you use a usual name or not - you can see that on facebook are a lot of people with the same name - there is no problem

 

[Apollonia]

I often wish there were other ways of supporting institutions, petitions, etc. than via Sheepbook or Witter, neither of which I'll use. Many times, having lent my support online, e.g. by signing a petition, I'll be sent an email thanking me and listing 'other ways I can help' whatever cause is... but there are only ever those twoapart from a donation, of course.

 

[Sasha]

I often wish there were other ways of supporting institutions, petitions, etc. than via Sheepbook or Witter, neither of which I'll use. Many times, having lent my support online, e.g. by signing a petition, I'll be sent an email thanking me and listing 'other ways I can help' whatever cause is... but there are only ever those twoapart from a donation, of course.

I've got to agree that I wish there were some other way of doing this because so many people loathe these social network things (me for one). But have you thought of setting up a free extra email account with a Facebook account off the back of it so that any junk would go to that dummy account (that you never need check)? Lots of us are doing exactly that, partly for privacy and partly because we're not keen on these Facebooky things in general. It only takes minutes to set up and we really need votes for the contest!

There'll be other contests coming up where people will need Facebook accounts to vote so I think it's a good investment of a few minutes to support research that will benefit all our health.

 

[Little Bluestem]

I Just Don't Trust Facebook

I am not going to admit to a Facebook phobia. I think I have justified concerns about the privacy and security of a Facebook account.

So even if you have the message, theres nothing to show that you are ill, just that you are generous!

If you are voting for nothing but ME/CFS organizations it is a pretty good clue that you are someone close to you has the illness.

A friend of mine got confirmation from Vivint that they use the "like" thing to track votes and to give voters the facility of easily sharing details of the contest but they won't do anything at all with your information

The fact that Vivint, or anybody else, is not currently doing anything with the information they gather about you does not mean that they will not in the future. The fact that they are holding the competition on Facebook, where only Facebook members can vote, but where information is gathered, makes me think they must be planning to use the information at some point. Otherwise I think they would use a public website where everyone could vote.

Set up a new, free email account with Yahoo, Google, etc. in an assumed name

When I got a Yahoo email account some years ago, I had to verify/confirm/whatever that the information was true. I admit to some squeamishness about lying and would definitely not verify a lie, particularly to someone who was not part of the problem (i.e. I am more willing to lie to Facebook than to an email provider). Perhaps Google is less picky.

All the informations which you give to facebook are - your name, place and the date of your birthday

Is that "place" place of birth or place of residence? Do they check that the place exists? (O.K., I am considering a fictive account.)

The use of first and middle names is a good one for people who are new to the internet. I already have an email account in my first name and last initial and another in my first initial and last name. If I got one in my first and middle names and someone correlated the three, they would have my full legal name. Not a good thing.

It has recently been suggested that people who do not otherwise want a Facebook account create one for the duration of the voting, then delete it. Deleting the account will not delete any information that Facebook, Chase, or anyone else has gather about you while the account was active.

I think the bottom line is that I am not convinced that my IP address cannot be traced to me. Then Facebook can attach all of the information they gather from my computer to me. Since that is what they really want, they would probably not even 'bust' my fictive account.

I just do not think that Facebook is trustworthy. In the last few days I saw headlines about Facebook having to change their privacy policy. Since I do not have an account, I did not read the articles, but I doubt that they would have been reassuring.

P.S. Thanks to the OP (Sasha?) for getting this out in the open.

 

[Little Bluestem]

As I was waking up this morning, I heard something on the radio about someone wanting to make it illegal to create a false Facebook account or lie about you weight on Match.com.

An web search turned up this article : http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-57324779-281/doj-lying-on-match.com-needs-to-be-a-crime/

The US Department of Justice has proposed an extension of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act to make it felony to violate a web sites Terms of Service. Even if they are successful, I expect they would only use this to prosecute people who were doing it to harass or defraud someone.

 

[*GG*]

In regards to the IP address, how about computers at a Library?

GG

PS I don't care who knows I have CFS and people are not going to be able to sell much to my poor ass!

 

[Little Bluestem]

I considered the library. The main problem is getting there. I think we are about out of time on this contest.

I do not know if I should even check the e-mail I set up for Facebook at home. I do not know if those little signal things, the name for which I cannot remember, that can be imbedded in e-mails reveal the IP address from which the are sent.

I am just in general creeped-out by the invasiveness of Facebook. It is sort of like having an e-stalker.

 

[taniaaust1]

I did post about this in another section of the forum but thought I'd also add the link here http://news.ninemsn.com.au/technolo...legally-ask-jobseekers-for-facebook-passwords

The article is about how those going for job interviews could be asked if they have facebook account and for its password and how its legal for prospective employers to do that.
...

Facebook carries a bad energy to it, it really creeps me out too so I stay as far from it as possible (I wont even read others posts there)...something which can be misused in so many ways.

Peoples bosses do commonly find out what people are doing on facebook (my daughter once got into trouble with her work over something said on facebook).

Sadly the more people who use facebook... the more its power. Every time someone uses it.. it feeds it. The whole thing "may" be one day used to watch the worlds population.

Maybe one day governments will take control over facebook and make things so everyone needs an account there.

It is right now already getting so one almost NEEDS an account there. (so many times I see things on current affairs shows on tv in which they say responses too.. post to them on facebook or twitter and they dont provide other places of contact .. it bugs me..not even an email address... so people who wish to respond are forced to use facebook. That shows what kind of power facebook is already carrying.... I see the whole thing as dangerous).

Facebook phobia is far more then just a CFS issue.

If one uses facebook and ends up being well enough to work again.. will you be able to honestly say to a prospective employer on being asked if you ever use face book that you dont? (I couldnt lie and keep a straight face). How would you deal with possibly being asked for facebook password if you want a chance at gaining employment for a job?

 

[Hell...Hath...No...Fury..]

I would love to help and vote but I'm really sorry I won't be joining facebook to do this, fake account or otherwise. I had a basic account many years ago and the immense amount of work it took just to get my account deleted put me off for life and they've spammed me ever since.
I don't agree with or like facebook and the more people that tell me I simply must join as if my life depends on it (not you sasha) the more I won't do it. I've watched it take over people's lives until it replaces their life. I've actually met new people and the old line of 'so what do you do?' is quite rapidly getting replaced with 'so are you on facebook?' and on occasion i've actually noticed them start to mentally zone me out as soon as they realise i'm not on facebook and not 'one of them' lol.
I've even come across people who can get almost agressive when they hear I won't be joining and expect me to give valid reasons why I won't be, because 'I don't want to' doesn't count as a valid reason. Now i feel really bad for not making a fake account to place a vote, if there was a non facebook way i'd be doing it with bells on.

 

[Googsta]

I have several reasons why I have not joined FB, none of them are to do with any social phobia.

 

[Ocean]

There are very good reasons to be wary of FB. The history of their flippant attitude to people's privacy leaves an awful lot to be desired, and that is not a trivial issue in the internet age.

I totally agree.

 

[gregf]

I have changed my advice a little regarding FB.

Especially for children or any parent where children follow their example.

Firstly my advice is, I dont encourage the use of FB.

But if you must, create two accounts.

The first has your real name and has photos of your children on the debating team, playing sport, being prefects at school.

The second account is a fake name and that is where the child, as a teenager, can post all their photos of "drunk at the party" and such. Ensure the second account has no names that can identify the teenager's real identity.

Let the teen use the second, while updating the first like a resume, to show to potential employers.

HTH
Greg.

 

[CJB]

The whole point of sponsoring a contest through Facebook is to increase their user numbers. This is true of just about any contest. They are used to collect names, addresses, etc. for advertising lists.

I sadly don't vote in these advocacy efforts if I have to join FB to do it.

I installed a tracking gadget just for the heck of it, and FB follows me around everywhere. Creepy.

 

[biophile]

In additional to Greg's advice, you may also consider a separate email address. I don't use Facebook but I still have an old account which I never informed anyone about and which uses a fake name. Yet many people I knew either in real life and/or online are in the list of suggested friends. The first explanation that comes to mind is that I have emailed a few of these people in the past with the email address I signed up with Facebook. Once that connection is made, I guess the "6 degrees of separation" effect takes over.