How much do you use Facebook now compared to last year?

[Rehan]

Just wondering if Facebook is really on the decline, or if it's just my misperception.

What do you guys think?

[XxXSnake23XxX]

soo much more less
i use twitter more now.

btw.. FOLLOW ME!!! VVVVV

[tomtomtom]

I agree - Facebook is on the decline. The hype is slowly cooling off.

I remember 5 years ago, when friendster shows up, everybody goes crazy about it and nobody goes on it nowadays.

I only go on facebook when I get email notification about event invitation or request to add friends

[pipolchap]

A lot lot less. I got tired quickly with all my narcissistic "friends". I just use it for games now.

[PrettyMao]

I thought it was a nice way to keep touch with friends until they allowed the use of applications. Once that annoying crap came out I pretty much stopped.

Another annoyance was people I haven't spoken to in years and probably won't be speaking to them in many more years to come asking to add me as their friend to boost their numbers.

[Tjalfe]

hardly get any news feed stuff now, as people rarely post now. I personally don't like posting stuff.

[lister]

I voted for about the same. I didn't use it last year and I'm not using it this year. :D Waste of time much like Facebook's peers before it.

[dx1997]

A lot lot less. I got tired quickly with all my narcissistic "friends". I just use it for games now.

Do tell. Narcissistic eh? I didn't know facebook was like that.

I thought it was a nice way to keep touch with friends until they allowed the use of applications. Once that annoying crap came out I pretty much stopped.

Another annoyance was people I haven't spoken to in years and probably won't be speaking to them in many more years to come asking to add me as their friend to boost their numbers.

People still do that? Ugh, I didn't know friends list padding still exists. I have the same problem, but with MSN. Too many people added over the years, so many I don't even talk to. Facebook must just make this thing like 10 times worse.

[ullyeus]

I didn't use it at all until this year....I check it a few times a day now...use it as my primary email client...events...

[rehearser]

I never understood the urge people have to post personal info online...
Big brother thanks them. :D

[setell]

I never understood the urge people have to post personal info online...
Big brother thanks them. :D

+1 I never really used it other then to creep on old high school classmates. After a few days of creeping I am done.

God...friend padding is sooo annoying and such a childish thing to do!

[applecheeks]

I don't use Facebook anymore. Haven't used it for over a year now. I like my privacy, thank you very much!

[mkerian]

I hate Facebook with a passion. I joined when it first started and was only open to university students...and I quit after a few months. They make you jump through extraordinary hoops just to permanently delete your account.

Anyways, I've lived without it through the hype, and I'm definitely glad I did. And in my opinion, Twitter is even worse.

[myversa]

I hardly use it to start with...

[dx1997]

As of this post 27% don't have Facebook accounts.

I am actually quite shocked on that.

[funkylist]

Mark Zuckerberg should of sold facebook to Yahoo for 1.6 billion a couple of years ago. He should of taken the money and ran.

[classic_queen]

I signed up when it first came out but I have since removed myself from it. Kinda felt out of touch with everyone mostly because you could just get an update by looking at their profile so you tend to not see everyone as often. I was also creeping on my ex boyfriend too much and was annoyed at the amount of people from high school adding me and people I don't talk to anymore (nor want to ever again).

Glad to be rid of it.

[Piro21]

I have an account because people kept announcing events and only using Facebook to plan them, and I didn't want to be left out. I've never put anything other than basic information on it, and never put a picture up. Now with all the privacy concerns and people's pictures ending up in dating ads, I don't think I ever will. All I use if for is to keep up on what old friends are doing and look at their pictures like a creepy voyeur.

[mkerian]

Mark Zuckerberg should of sold facebook to Yahoo for 1.6 billion a couple of years ago. He should of taken the money and ran.

He could still offload it for more than a billion dollars for sure...oh man can you imagine? I'd take that money and buy myself a tropical island. He must realize that Facebook is eventually doomed just like Myspace and those before it...

[ruhroh]

I chose "about the same" until I remembered that I didn't sign up until December 2008. Oops.

I only go on it if I have an email notification, otherwise I just ignore it.

All I use if for is to keep up on what old friends are doing and look at their pictures like a creepy voyeur.

And do this.

[Jay Hova]

I think after the UI changes, more and more people started leaving, hence why it may seem like it is on a decline.

I do know some people who stopped using it, not sure why really. It's a good way to keep in touch. A really good way to plan events as well...I haven't had excellent luck with it, but I can see why it is useful - especially for large-scale events like 50+ people.

All in all, I bet the people leaving are the fadsters who left myspace - they're all on twitter - which IMO lacks functionality...all you do is update your status. I can see why celebs use it, it's pretty cool to see and know what they're doing...but I don't care if some average Joe is going out to eat pizza.

[sw1ft]

I deleted my account in December as a New Year's Resolution. FB deteriorated when all the "Apps" flooded everyone's profile.

In case you are wondering how to "delete" a facebook account (as opposed to 'deactivate'):
http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fgroup.php%3Fgi d%3D16929680703&ei=yMaWStSPNJWKNrXu-fgN&usg=AFQjCNFz2K5qziAq0Vl712t0s9ZsJFRycg&sig2=79a_1v6s7loofTOXe6Re2w

[Rehan]

As of this post 27% don't have Facebook accounts.

I am actually quite shocked on that. I assume many of those people signed up for Facebook at some point, but didn't bother to do anything with their accounts. There are lots of "___ has no friends" accounts on Facebook.


So those of you who are using Facebook less... What has replaced it? Twitter (not really the same) ? Real life? Nothing?

[bionicbadger]

I assume many of those people signed up for Facebook at some point, but didn't bother to do anything with their accounts. There are lots of "___ has no friends" accounts on Facebook.


So those of you who are using Facebook less... What has replaced it? Twitter (not really the same) ? Real life? Nothing?

I don't have, have never had, and do not plan on ever getting a facebook, myspace, twitter, blog, whatever account.

People that I want to stay in touch with know my email address and I know thiers. Same with phone number, and if by chance someone doesn't know, my number is in the phonebook.

Social networking sites are giant data mining privacy invasion tools.
Twitter is just annoying and pointless.

[robster77]

Never used Facebook, Twitter or My Space for that matter. Never saw the point. If I want to connect with someone, I'll call them or meet up.

[don242]

Have a facebook account but I never look at it. Was interesting for maybe one day. Never had any of the other things (Twitter, myspace and whatever else there is), nor do I see the point. Facebook was just one more place that people sent you messages from and you needed to check. I have a hard enough time keeping up with my emails, why do I need yet another account to check.

[Akraz]

I just use it to talk to friends and photo albums

[originalnutta]

wish i never joined.

i deactivated my account in April. haven't looked back since.

[robster77]

Have a facebook account but I never look at it. Was interesting for maybe one day. Never had any of the other things (Twitter, myspace and whatever else there is), nor do I see the point. Facebook was just one more place that people sent you messages from and you needed to check. I have a hard enough time keeping up with my emails, why do I need yet another account to check.

Agreed. My wife lives on her account with her friends. She keeps telling me that it's "a great way to stay in contact with your friends who you haven't spoken with in years."

I tell her then to think about that statement. If I haven't talked to them in years then there's probably a reason or they probably weren't a friend. But hey, to each his own.

[abu_sme]

I use it less, but when I use it I use it for meaningful things like wishing people a happy birthday. Plus I have a whole whack of friends in Europe and I don’t know their email addresses.

[instanoodles]

Never used facebook, I have seen other people use it and all the crap that goes around like stupid apps makes me not intersted. I just use my cellphone to stay in touch. Only thing I like it is photo album part but its not enough for me to sign up.

[Kynax]

I deleted my account permanently a few months ago when the whole thing about keeping your pictures and stuff forever even if you delete your account came up.

Don't miss it at all.

[CatFrame]

Just wondering if Facebook is really on the decline, or if it's just my misperception.

What do you guys think?

How much do you use Facebook now, compared to last year?

Please fix the title.

I use it more.

[dragon_drift]

Barely use it. I only got it because it's the only way to contact some friends.

[Throwback24]

Never used it.

[classic_queen]

So those of you who are using Facebook less... What has replaced it? Twitter (not really the same) ? Real life? Nothing?

Real life mostly. Using email or phone to get in touch with people.

[aplayaz2000]

i use it less...

[Rehan]

How much do you use Facebook now, compared to last year?

Please fix the title. Oops! Thanks...fixed.

[DuDe1411]

too lazy to read through all the post but
does RFD have facebook? officially

[skyblue12]

i had an account last year for a few weeks, but deactivated it.. so.. from very little usage to no usage at all now.

[gman]

More because I did not actually start to use it until this year. I did get an account long time ago though.

[Rehan]

More because I did not actually start to use it until this year. I did get an account long time ago though. I'm in the same boat. Signed up in 2006, but didn't really start using until recently....only to find out that it's like a ghost town. :|

[Aznsilvrboy]

Less, I should to check it every day, but only once every few days now.

[Lovable]

I use Facebook 24/7, I got 50000 friends to keep up with! :lol:

I don't use it anymore because there's nothing that Facebook can do that my cell phone cannot.

[Little Dragon]

just wait till you see this:
http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/08/23/david-finchers-social-network-movie-gets-a-greenlight/

[sxz]

I just use it for events. It makes planning and attending them much easier.

[ndrew029]

It's hard for me to say. I go through stretches where I don't touch it for weeks, and others when I'm on multiple times a day doing various things.

[CSR]

I'm in the same boat. Signed up in 2006, but didn't really start using until recently....only to find out that it's like a ghost town. :|

You need some friends :o

[jin9826]

have one

but too lazy to use it nowadays LOL

got school + work to focus on

[Mugen123]

I use it a whole lot less, the lastest UI change killed whatever little interest i had in it.

I'm mainly using it because my program has a group, so it's a way for me to stay up to date on school related stuff.

I post maybe once a month, and it's really only to the people that i talk to on a regular basis.

the events thing is annoying as hell because i keep getting invites to things i have no interest in going to. People from highschool that i never really talked to inviting me to there birthday party at the club.... no thanks.

[tmpz]

iPhone + Facebook = More

BTW: The new updated Facebook app is now on Apps Store.

[Canada_7]

About the same as last year...don't really do much with it in the first place. Check it every now and then and then just log off.

[at1212b]

Definitely less, just more of a time filler or on the list to just 'log-in'.

Its easy to forget how the old facebook was, and seems like most just accepted the new format (though few were more vocally outrated), but with that, it definitely had a more neutralizing effect I think on the overall 'charm' of it.

I remember the ol' days when it was simple and functional that actually encouraged a form of social interaction within the context of the online world. Kind of like Google (which has been smart to keep its simplicity) changing its main page to Yahoos and then to MSN.. people would rightfully get annoyed.

Now, it just seems like its all about people and their 50 character 'thoughts' and to announce to the world how cool their life is.


I was reading this pretty interesting article recently which echoed alot of my (and it seems others here as well) sentiments pointing out alot of what Facebook has become:

How Facebook Ruins Friendships
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204660604574370450465849142.html
(Excerpt)
Notice to my friends: I love you all dearly.

But I don't give a hoot that you are "having a busy Monday," your child "took 30 minutes to brush his teeth," your dog "just ate an ant trap" or you want to "save the piglets." And I really, really don't care which Addams Family member you most resemble. (I could have told you the answer before you took the quiz on Facebook.)

Here's where you and I went wrong: We took our friendship online. First we began communicating more by email than by phone. Then we switched to "instant messaging" or "texting." We "friended" each other on Facebook, and began communicating by "tweeting" our thoughts—in 140 characters or less—via Twitter.

All this online social networking was supposed to make us closer. And in some ways it has. Thanks to the Internet, many of us have gotten back in touch with friends from high school and college, shared old and new photos, and become better acquainted with some people we might never have grown close to offline.

Last year, when a friend of mine was hit by a car and went into a coma, his friends and family were able to easily and instantly share news of his medical progress—and send well wishes and support—thanks to a Web page his mom created for him.

But there's a danger here, too. If we're not careful, our online interactions can hurt our real-life relationships.

Like many people, I'm experiencing Facebook Fatigue. I'm tired of loved ones—you know who you are—who claim they are too busy to pick up the phone, or even write a decent email, yet spend hours on social-media sites, uploading photos of their children or parties, forwarding inane quizzes, posting quirky, sometimes nonsensical one-liners or tweeting their latest whereabouts. ("Anyone know a good restaurant in Berlin?").....

[Stunt_101]

a lot less than last year. i rarely go on once a month now

[shannn]

Ever since I started using Facebook (like, 5 years ago), I steadily decreased my usage. I remember when I was in first year, almost no one was using it (but it was really popular in the US, and my Amerifriend got me to open an account), but now...wow, look all around the libraries and blackberries and see FB all over the place

[Matrixvibe]

I just use it for events. It makes planning and attending them much easier.

+1, i think i just stayed logged in on the computer more (keeped the window minimized) , i don't really use it more now...lol

[WontonTiger]

I love facebook for what it is. If you get one of those constant update people, it's easy to ignore them (or remove them as a friend).

I find I use it mostly for games/events/photo galleries, and most of all posting videos from around the internet. I love to update people with funny new videos from onion news, or possibly some in-depth thought pieces from various sites.

I think it's good at what it does, it's just that too many people went nuts over it, and to some it's there life.

Twitter disgusts me. It took the worst of Facebook (status updates), and gave them a whole new venue, and even more face time. I can't believe people actually use that crap.

[starbright]

I deleted mine a couple of months ago.

Replaced it with phone calls and coffee dates :)

[Nikita]

Just wondering if Facebook is really on the decline, or if it's just my misperception.

What do you guys think?

I just read in today's paper that there are more than 12 million FB users in Canada alone, more than a third of our population. So I don't know if that's a decline or your misperception, but TBH I was surprised it was that high.

That said, I've never used it much and only think to log in if I get a notification (and I've only got settings for a few, like PMs etc.), or if I'm totally bored out of my gourd...lol. I'm just not that sociable a person I guess...:o

[lazertazer]

I agree that Facebook will be around for a long time
- compared to Myspace which is filled with spam messages and junk

It's hilarious how some people collect Facebook friends- as if they were collecting stickers. They don't talk to some of these people but they add them as a friend.

I sense that some people are lonely (hard to make friends as adults?) so they want to reconnect with highschool classmates

[don242]

I just use it for events. It makes planning and attending them much easier.

Apparently my sisters use it for planning events too. I have missed so many birthdays and other events because hey assume everyone is checking on facebook. I logged in maybe twice this year and realized I missed a number of birthday parties from months ago. Is there something wrong with a simple phone call or even an email?

[Nikita]

Apparently my sisters use it for planning events too. I have missed so many birthdays and other events because hey assume everyone is checking on facebook. I logged in maybe twice this year and realized I missed a number of birthday parties from months ago. Is there something wrong with a simple phone call or even an email?

Well, personally I like talking on the phone even less than I like FB...lol. But yeah, an email would do just fine, thank you.:)

[Lovable]

Not everyone has the ability to answer the phone at any point of a day, that is why it would be safer to assume texting/e-mailing them would be more ideal then just giving them a call during a random time of the day as they can reply back to you when they feel like it.

Regarding Facebook, I have nothing against the users (as I was one myself) but I get annoyed when I log on and see a 1 hour chat log between two friends in my newsfeed. Can people not do that by e-mail or IM? Hell, ask for the person's number and make a date to catch up.

[don242]

Well, personally I like talking on the phone even less than I like FB...lol. But yeah, an email would do just fine, thank you.:)

I guess people assume if you have a facebook account, that you must check it everyday. My fault I suppose.

I guess my sisters didn't miss me that much at their parties since they didn't even ask why I wasn't there...though maybe they did ask on facebook.


Not everyone has the ability to answer the phone at any point of a day, that is why it would be safer to assume texting/e-mailing them would be more ideal then just giving them a call during a random time of the day as they can reply back to you when they feel like it.


True, I much prefer email as well. But a message left by phone can be responded to at any time.

[biee]

i remember when i started facebook, i was one of the early ones...now, i jus check my walls, messages, tags if theres any..i hate the quizzes people do and it jus spams my whole homepage..i hate seeing the same person do a quiz every 10 sec on my homepage...ugh..i feel like i dont even want to use facebook anymore nor any of these internet crap..

[malacus]

lol..

good to skew the results !

I use facebook 3-4 times a year. Hasn't changed much.

[stealth]

Much much less. I log in every couple weeks now. Novelty has worn off and theres nothing to do there.

I dont go for Twitter. Its all the same stuff I didnt like about Facebook.

[Jon Lai]

Definitely more - I check it everyday now, to see if I have to wish anyone happy birthday :P (I only know by heard probably my 15 closest friend's birthdays.)

I can definitely live without it, but when I'm bored it's interesting to check out the news feed to see what's happening. I have enough friends that use Facebook to give me about 2 pages of news feed each day.

Maybe it's more of a university thing. How many people here that use it more are still in university?

[wachidarin]

I've been using it less but I go through periods where I use it more if I found an old friend or relative.
The reason I wasn't in touch with them for years was due to moving or conflicts and I'm glad Facebook gave us an outlet to reconnect.

Thanks to FB I recently had a family reunion with people I haven't seen in 8 years!

[ukgirl]

when my grandma added me as a friend it all started to go downhill for me...

[arsalanmustafa1989]

Recently deactivated my account, probably going to delete it soon. Its pointless,I don't need to know what 500 people who i met at some point in my life are doing. All my close friends i talk/text on a weekly basis which is enough for me.

The only things valuable i found with it was to share/tag photos and plan events. But the applications, news feed and the new UI outweighed the pros.

As for privacy issue, i think if you use the some sense and the privacy features/settings then its safe enough. we live in a digital world and we should take advantage of it, just don't be dependent on it.

To keep myself in check in terms of dependency of technology I take periodic breaks from digital communication. for ex No msn for a month, or leave the cell phone at home once in a while. Usually its just like any other day, if not more unique.

[Baseball_Boy]

when my grandma added me as a friend it all started to go downhill for me...

:lol:


I use it a lot less. Helps that my "friends" only post once a year.. on my birthday. You can really figure out who your friends are.

[AmmoWasted]

Regarding Facebook, I have nothing against the users (as I was one myself) but I get annoyed when I log on and see a 1 hour chat log between two friends in my newsfeed. Can people not do that by e-mail or IM? Hell, ask for the person's number and make a date to catch up.

I'm pretty sure you can disable that stuff showing up in settings. But I agree, I don't like talking to someone else when basically everyone can see what you are saying.

[AzN_RiverdaleCI]

lessssssss

[MilkyWind]

it's still a really good place to post photos, and to create events to notify all your friends about a birthday or gathering.

I mean after a gathering, hiking, dinner, or b-day, or karaoke when we take pictures, it is so much easier just posting those pictures to facebook than sending it to everyone else.

I think of facebook as a virtual online album.

I can imagine it still being popular with asian community here, but not as used as before (meaning people log in less)

[weedb0y]

People are using it more as a 'networking' platform as opposed to 'poking' each other.

If you go beyond the hardcore computer science crowd (RFD), the use has actually gone up. The growth has been seen in the gen-x segment.

How do I know this? My day time job involves figuring out social spaces for a X firm.

[Jon Lai]

it's still a really good place to post photos, and to create events to notify all your friends about a birthday or gathering.

I mean after a gathering, hiking, dinner, or b-day, or karaoke when we take pictures, it is so much easier just posting those pictures to facebook than sending it to everyone else.

I think of facebook as a virtual online album.

I can imagine it still being popular with asian community here, but not as used as before (meaning people log in less)
Why Asian?