it’s expected these days that Facebook is how you will find out about friends and distant family.
The issue for me is with the family members who think they need to be the first to post the bad news. My sister in law was posting on Facebook about an uncle before my husband had been informed. I can estimate from the phone call I got that she posted within five minutes of being informed. Her mother went in birth order and she was posting before several siblings had gotten the notice. I imagine there were other family that heard through her Facebook post.
Then there was my mother who told the world about my father’s stroke before she told her children. It was easier than making all those calls apparently. If she didn’t want to make so many calls she shouldn’t have has so many kids. We all gave her a good lecture about it so she called with the other ones. (yeah, Dad has had multiple strokes. It’s so fun. At least I know I’ll get a phone call when one finally takes him.)
Yeah, unless you have been appointed “the communicator” - keep all news to yourself - or at least within your immediate circle - whether its someone’s death or the birth of their baby or their engagement - for a “decent” period of time. (And decent will depend on the event - a death is a smaller amount of time because people may need to travel on short notice - an engagement - wait a few days). I remember someone - though I don’t know who - I know getting engaged and telling someone - one of the first people they told posted to Facebook. It kind of took all of the fun out of telling people herself.
We all gave her a good lecture about it so she called with the other ones. (yeah, Dad has had multiple strokes. It’s so fun. At least I know I’ll get a phone call when one finally takes him.)