The great internet popularity contest (facebook.com)

Member Name: thehonesttruth

Product:	facebook.com
Date:	30/10/09 (34 review reads)
Rating:

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For a long time, I resisted getting a Facebook - after all, I already had Myspace, which I hardly ever used, and it's not as though I'm some kind of social butterfly with so many friends I can't keep up . Eventually though, I gave in to the annoyance of being constantly asked if I had Facebook, and just get an account and get it over with .

Signing up was relatively easy- a few details, such as name, address, DOB, and a quick confirmation via email, and I was in . Then it was a simple case of importing my email contacts to see which friends were already on facebook, and I was ready to roll .

I found facebook very easy to use and navigate, and found the news feed that told me what all my friends were up to quite entertaining . I also, initially, liked all the invites to various groups and causes . But I have to say that over time I have become annoyed with facebook.

I started to get very annoyed with friend requests .Half the time they came from some moronic cretin who had bullied me at school and now, for some reason, had suddenly decided they wanted to be my friend . I honestly have no desire to talk to people I actively dislike, for good reason, and don't see the logic in them asking to be my friend . Yet, for some reason I feel guilty if I decline - I don't know if they can actually tell that I have declined, but somehow it makes me feel bad, so I end up adding these people, then subtly removing them a few days later .

Worse than people adding you as a friend who are, frankly, idiots, are the complete random strangers adding you without explaining why . I have no problem, for instance, with someone who has similar interests to me, or is a member of similar groups, and thinks we might have something to chat about, adding me, so long as they explain why and then DO actually talk to me .

I dislike many of the apps - not the apps themselves, but the constant stream of invites from people who have just invited me to make up the required 20 invited friends . It IS possible to skip the inviting friends bit and just use the app, and I only have time for so many games before it gets incredibly tedious and boring .

The big thing about facebook that irritates me is their constant efforts to make it better which actually result in making it confusing, or even worse, unreliable for the next few weeks . At least two or three times a week, I try and log on to find that my account is temporarily unavailable, or I can't look at my own photo album due to site maintanance .

It has good bits, - you can join groups relevant to your interests, and hold discussions with likeminded people . You can become a fan of your favourite band to keep up to date with their touring schedule . And, if you're lucky, you may reconnect with someone great .

I do use facebook often - however annoying it is, I know many of my friends are obsessed with it and constantly checking it, and it's a good free way of getting in touch with them and letting them know what's going on . But I am finding it getting more and more annoying as they keep changing things around and confusing me!

Overall, a decent communication tool, but annoying at times.

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