Facebook: Are Some People Making It Into The Anti-Social Network?

Facebook has evolved into a tremendous resource for sharing content in its 13 years of existence. Especially for people with important creative and socially conscious media to share. And most importantly, it has given a voice to many voiceless with its position as the most known and popular social network currently available. And on a broader level, I personally view myself close to the latter end of Facebook users just mentioned. The network truly has given me a broader network of friends and outlets that I never before had on my local level offline. And there's little doubt millions of others across the world feel the same way. Unfortunately, there has been a lot of push back against what Facebook offers its users.

Much of this push back stems from the aftermath of the failed Beacon initiative. And too many people feeling that the use of people's personal content (though only for a short time) in Facebook advertising infringed on their privacy. This has led to much negative press within the last decade about Facebook's safety. And recent news of hacking during the 2016 American presidential elections probably didn't help that matter any. Facebook continues to update its security and privacy features to address such problems. And across platforms from Windows, Android and ios.  Including making people feel more safe from harassment and bullying. So just how could Facebook ever been seen as an "anti social network"?

While Facebook does continue to redefine its privacy settings, its become clear that too many people are not in the know of how to properly utilize those features. On that level, I'll speak from the personal experience that motivated this article. I live with a type of disability where I cannot work. So my only means of outreach of my talents to people is via a music blog I write on WordPress. And a photography community I built on Facebook. Within the past 6-7 months, my attempts to share my work-from Facebook friends to Facebook groups, have been continually treated as spam. Restrictions have been placed on my sharing for "going too fast". And recently, three different Facebook groups reporting my content as spam. This has resulted in three different bans from sharing content in any Facebook groups at all. Along with this problem is how people have reacted to the matter of tagging.

Facebook users post so much content per day within their group of friends, its not always that possible to see said content without tagging people. And I have done this too with a couple of weekly features I have on my own Facebook timeline. There is also a way for one to reset their Facebook profile so that tagged posts can be reviewed before posting. Yet time after time lately, I've been scolded and verbally accosted by one Facebook friend after another about not wishing to be tagged. Ended up making a list for those who wished not to be tagged. At the end of the day, Facebook is a place for sharing people's content to each other. And if someone doesn't understand that the nature of that content, it should not ruin the Facebook rights of the one sharing that content.

Facebook's privacy and security policies are enforced by programmed algorithms. That is the nature of online security in general. That means its up to people to use their own best judgement in handling wanted and unwanted content on the site. But if people aren't aware of how Facebook's setting function, is their own best judgement adequate to this task? The site offers a number of tutorials to understand how to handle unwanted content. And when reporting goes too far even. But for those such as myself who depend on Facebook as a means of support for sharing content? This lack of understanding on behalf of group owners and even individuals on this social network creates social problems. And I do have some speculative reasons for some of these understandings.

One possible reasons for the current understandings of some people on Facebook might be the events of 2016 and this particular year. The very idea that sites such as Yahoo! and Facebook being vulnerable to hacking could be one reason. Millions across the world depend on these platforms for both personal and business communication. And one thing about human beings is that if any person begins to feel insecure with their social mediums? Different levels of fear and paranoia are bound to develop from that. The internet remains an open forum that defies regulation. That makes it the best example of democracies messy side that exists in the world today. Between hacking, spamming and trolling? The internet is still new enough a medium to engender certain paranoid ideas.

The current Trump era in America is very likely a major catalyst in this particular matter. Many people I personally know are uncertain and scared. A handful have either unfriended me or simply left Facebook completely. From the anger at political articles,memes and the current issues with whats known as 'fake news"? It seems social media has become self defeating in the minds of some people. But there is a message for those who feel this way. If any or all of the above probably causes of Facebook fear and paranoia effect a person in any way? Perhaps they should take a little time to remember all of the very positive things Facebook offers. Connection to people and sharing things that inspire-as well as enlighten them. And then learn to jettison any anti social attitudes on social media.

Christmas and the Donald Trump Effect: Lets Make Elections Great...Again

          Its been nearly a month now since the 2016 election came to an end. Or did it? Due to logistical reasons I am unfamiliar with,US presidential elections usually end just before the start of the holiday season. This election has been by far the most horrific I've ever seen. And that probably goes for millions of other Americans as well. There is always a good deal of mud slinging between candidates during an election. But Donald Trump took it to a whole new level-running on a platform of prejudice and fear mongering. And on this election night,he became president elect very unexpectedly.

          Nobody I personally knew expected this to happen. For the past few weeks on Facebook,people and groups I subscribe to have been trying to sort the situation out. What went wrong? Why don't people realize how dangerous Donald Trump is? Is America doomed? These thoughts have ranged from thoughtful to outright conspiracy theorizing. As a year of personal growth for me,this event has been a personally draining one. Found myself somewhat unmotivated to get on with each and every day. Not due to my own fears. But due to a growing sense of empathy for the concerns of those around me. And don't think I'm alone in this either.

            Instead of a holiday season filled with hopes for a positive new year,many American's have learned a great deal in a very short amount of time. The latest headlines is that Trump did not actually win even the electoral votes. That Russian based hacking was involved. And while Hillary Clinton clearly won the popular vote,ballots are being frantically recounted. And the future of America's electoral college is under scrutiny. When I go to the store or any public place,the looks on people's faces don't seem happy or unhappy due to holiday hustle and bustle. They seem distant and concerned for the future. And that isn't a very cheery atmosphere.

             Now a lot of younger people dislike celebrating holidays today. Some see them as corporate,some as pure propaganda. Since the area I live in has a strong potential for joylessness,holiday's such as Christmas tend to come across as a psychological necessity for a wintry season of shorter days and the potential for limited mobility due to severe weather. If one is a wealthy land owner of European descent,the rhetoric of Donald Trump and the cabinet he's assembling isn't a negative thing at all. The reality of it is though,that just isn't most of America. And most of America is either angry with Trump being president elect,or somehow live in fear of what Trump and his cabinet represent.

               Donald Trump's campaign slogan was "Make America Great Again". If I were to have a campaign slogan for American politics in general,it would probably be something along the lines of "Make Elections Great Again". Most of the presidential elections I've lived through have surrounded such extremely high stakes, it can have the effect of making the voter either fed up with the process or descend to seeing both main political parties to blame for social problems. We live in a totally online world. Wikipedia and other outlets provide access to truths about history and the present. More and more American's know the issues beyond candidate's rhetoric.

One could debate that its highly cynical to see ignorance as bliss. At the same time,people heavily indoctrinated with hateful rhetoric often lack the ability to receive new knowledge. And therefore are unable to grow as individuals. This social issue is now referred to as "post truth". Donald Trump has truly capitalized on this. And the fact is,the holiday season of 2016 seems to have the atmosphere of inner terror. This could derive from a mixture of new knowledge, a blunter and overtly bigoted attitude from white supremacist  political figures now referred to as the "alt right" and a sense of wanting to retreat back to a life of ignorance.

Sometimes learning can be scary and sad. To a young child,it can be very saddening to learn there is no actual Santa Claus. It is very scary to learn about stranger danger. Compared to most other nations of the world. After all,its only been 240 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. With the knowledge of even that being found on the back of slavery,as well as Christmas as we know it now largely deriving from non Christian pagan origins, modern American conservatism is fighting a losing battle with the known reality of the nations politics. And even the origins and meaning of the holiday's it celebrates.

With all this being said,knowledge brings growing pains but not endings. It does bring evolution. We know now that "republican" stands for democracy of only the privileged. We know now that Christmas isn't totally Christian or totally corporate. Yet that doesn't mean American cannot be a functional democracy-with a two or more party system without the need for a "republic". Nor does it mean we cannot still decorate trees or even display mangers at Christmas. Whatever occurs with Donald Trump,and I sincerely hope recounts deny him the presidency,Democracy and joy in America will simply continue to grow and evolve. And there's no post truth about that.