Why Facebook Sucks
September 15th, 2012
Facebook is a popular social networking website launched in 2004 with literally nearly a billion active users. You probably used Facebook today. But did you ever wonder why Facebook sucks?
Why Facebook Sucks
- Facebook fuels divorce. According to The Telegraph, Facebook is cited in 20% of divorce petitions.
- Facebook sucks at protecting your data. So much so that it is illegal. A recent poll by Facebook showed that 87% of Facebook users disagreed with its policy changes, but Facebook implemented the changes anyway.
- No, you might not get it: Facebook really sucks at privacy. Facebook goes through privacy debacles like its paid to. Oh, right. It’s disturbing, whether it’s (A) automated facial recognition, (B) suddenly displaying your email and photos publicly without notifying you or getting your permission, (C) the illegal Facebook Beacon, (D) suddenly removing privacy controls for Facebook feeds, (E) handing over private data to governments even without reasonable suspicion and in disregard for users who opt for the strictest privacy settings, over 20 breaches of the Canadian Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, (F) not allowing users a way to delete their account until 2010 despite years of complaints including the 2008 New York Times article, or (G) tracking page visits even of non-members. The main theme of the problem is Facebook has a habit of changing policies and adding privacy-infringing features using an opt-out system rather than an opt-in one.
- As a company, Facebook engages in unethical business practices, such as dishonestly funding a secret smear campaign against Google.
- Your Facebook account can be disabled for no good reason and with no explanation, particularly since the disabling of accounts is automated and could be caused by something as simple as another user erroneously reporting your page to Facebook’s automated system. If disabled, you will find little help in dealing with Facebook’s understaffed team for disabled accounts appeals, according to Facebook users who went through such an ordeal. It must suck to have your account banned for no reason by a site that knowingly allows hate speech and holocaust denial groups.
- Using Facebook is bad for your mental health. Maybe it’s the social equivalent of the girls’ bathroom in middle school.
- Facebook is filled with annoying app spam. Want to join my farm? Are you sure? Want to buy a pretend pig? Want to join my farm yet? I took a quiz about you, want to see it? What if I send you some emails? Do you want to see the quiz? Did you join the farm yet?
- Other Facebookers will tag you in embarrassing photos.
- Facebook = stalkbook. You stalk your ex; your mom stalks you; your mom’s boss stalks your mom; Facebook advertisers stalk you all.
- After sifting through the spam and ads (“sponsored stories”), all that is left is a bunch of personal junk posted by drama queens and attention wh… uh, attention-seekers that ranges from TMI to boring to annoyingly pathetic. The Facebook Wall is surprisingly similar to the bathroom stall wall.
- The existence of Facebook seems to encourage people to take pictures of their own reflection in the mirror.
- There is no dislike button.
Categories: Companies | Tags: facebook, privacy, social networks, websites | Comments Off on Why Facebook Sucks
