# I Pit facebook, and all companies on facebook **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 21, 2012, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-facebook-and-all-companies-on-facebook/641692 "2012-11-21T05:59:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-facebook-and-all-companies-on-facebook/641692/41 "2012-11-21T19:25:33Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > And yet, if your legal name happens to be mine, their software does not allow you to use it. My full name, “Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan Ibn Al Abbas Ibn Rashid Ibn Hamad”, was not recognized. I just shortened it to “Ibn” at the suggestion of several of my Norwegian friends. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Doom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Dr\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Doom)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-facebook-and-all-companies-on-facebook/641692/42 "2012-11-21T19:28:43Z")
Don’t trust those Norwegians, they don’t even celebrate Thanksgiving. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-facebook-and-all-companies-on-facebook/641692/43 "2012-11-21T19:36:32Z")
> [@gamerunknown](#): > > \ Advertising tends to exploit cognitive biases in order to prevent people from thinking rationally. Forms roughly 9% of US GDP, too. If you want more info on this framework, check out Chomsky and Herman’s propaganda model. Thank you! You’ve put words to how I’ve felt about advertising for a long time! > [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > \Bad news is that employers (actually HR Depts are starting tomuse oir facevookmaccount to get a better idea od the person uounare nefore hiring you. This doesnt surprise me that much, since HR people are idiots, and need somerhing to justify their time surfing on the net. \ Heh. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-facebook-and-all-companies-on-facebook/641692/44 "2012-11-21T20:47:16Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > S… But now that so mqny of my friends and family use it exclusively to communicate, its almost impossible for me to shut down completely unless i dont want to hear from these people again… I solve that problem by telling them “I don’t have a Facebook account, I’m not _getting_ a Facebook account, and so if you refuse to communicate outside of Facebook, then that means _you_ don’t want to communicate with _me_. If that’s how you feel, then, well, it’s been nice knowing you…” If they don’t come around, then, well, I’m better off not bothering with them. No loss to me. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-facebook-and-all-companies-on-facebook/641692/45 "2012-11-21T21:17:34Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Actually, there is. The terms of service require that you use your legal name, and you could conceivably be charged with a violation of the federal Computer Fraud & Abuse Act or similar state laws if you intentionally use a fake name. This reminds me… My previous post, where I said I didn’t have, and wouldn’t get a Facebook account is technically untrue. So many times someone would link to some Facebook content and when you click, it requires you to log in to see the content. So I made an entirely fictional one, just to be able to see that content. Even the _name_ I used looks fake. I hear prisons don’t allow internet access. I guess I’ll be safe from the Facebook freaks, there! Assboink, on the other hand… ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Hartwick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@Dave\_Hartwick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Hartwick)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-facebook-and-all-companies-on-facebook/641692/46 "2012-11-21T21:40:47Z")
> [@Cheshire\_Human](#): > > I solve that problem by telling them “I don’t have a Facebook account, I’m not _getting_ a Facebook account, and so if you refuse to communicate outside of Facebook, then that means _you_ don’t want to communicate with _me_. If that’s how you feel, then, well, it’s been nice knowing you…” If they don’t come around, then, well, I’m better off not bothering with them. No loss to me. No loss to them, either, I’m guessing. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-facebook-and-all-companies-on-facebook/641692/47 "2012-11-21T21:52:32Z")
Probably not. Win-Win! ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-facebook-and-all-companies-on-facebook/641692/48 "2012-11-21T22:28:15Z")
I don’t know anyone who has gotten busted for using a fake name on Facebook, and I’m guessing if anyone has, it’s because they are deliberately impersonating someone else or using a trademarked fictional character name and getting so popular people are mistaking them for an official account. Seriously, if you name your account Honey Boo Boo Child to talk to your 150 FB friends you’re not going to get busted. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-facebook-and-all-companies-on-facebook/641692/49 "2012-11-21T23:03:54Z")
> [@leftfield6](#): > > Only reason I ever got on FB was my prior company (Sprint) insisted that employees create accounts and begin “liking” and pushing products. I created the account just so I could say I did, but never “liked” anything. Christ. how long before they propose paying employees in scrip? > [@leftfield6](#): > > As the years went by, people I went to school would send friend requests, even thought I hardly knew who half of them were. I wasn’t your friend in high school, why I am suddenly a long lost soul mate in FBworld? this is a big reason I stay away from FB. the couple of people I went to school with who I still care to associate with already know how to contact me. If I received a friend request from anyone else I went to school with, the nicest thing I could respond with is “I hope someone sets you on fire in front of your kids.” ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-facebook-and-all-companies-on-facebook/641692/50 "2012-11-21T23:32:06Z")
I use Facebook and I like how it keeps me up to date on the lives of others I knew growing up, and those I currently know. I also \*like \*products and services I support, because I want them to be successful. It really seems to me like most of the animus against FB stems from the same “get off my lawn” impulse that makes people hate avatars and like buttons here on the forum. Yes FB isn’t necessary. Most of what you have and do isn’t necessary. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-facebook-and-all-companies-on-facebook/641692/51 "2012-11-21T23:35:35Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > I also \*like \*products and services I support, because I want them to be successful. It really seems to me like most of the animus against FB stems from the same “get off my lawn” impulse that makes people hate avatars and like buttons here on the forum. Also cell phones. Seriously, this place is infested with olds. ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Hartwick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@Dave\_Hartwick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Hartwick)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-facebook-and-all-companies-on-facebook/641692/52 "2012-11-21T23:42:53Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > If I received a friend request from anyone else I went to school with, the nicest thing I could respond with is “I hope someone sets you on fire in front of your kids.” Possibly Facebook is not for you. I don’t see that going over well as a status update. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-facebook-and-all-companies-on-facebook/641692/53 "2012-11-21T23:52:00Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > There’s no requirement to use your legal identity, and I know many people that have separate accounts for their social and professional sides. Yes, there is. It’s in the policy. So is not having more than one account. Not that anyone follows it, (and not that I think Facebook care, only their advertisers) but the requirement does technically exist. I don’t share any information I don’t want to be known. It’s not difficult to do. Facebook doesn’t even know where I live, something I hear a lot of people are freaking out about (especially since it’s displayed on their PUBLIC profile. That’s a real problem, not like datamining.) And, no, that’s not a reversal of me not wanting a Facebook button here. First off, I was talking about the other type of button, and, more importantly, I objected because so many seem to not know about Facebook’s datamining, and people here are obsessive about their privacy. (I’m just find avoidance of my uncommon real name to be useful in making sure no disgruntled person that I piss off can find me and harass me, like happened to a certain other Doper I know.) But, I digress. Facebook is not evil for datamining. If anything, they are evil for trying to hide the fact they are datamining and for preying on little kids. And, yes, giving stalkers a map to someone’s location without them even having to be “friends.” Also, SFP, do you ever post when you aren’t drunk anymore? (Apologies if there’s some legitimate reason for your typoes. But, seriously, you “sound” drunk.) ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-facebook-and-all-companies-on-facebook/641692/54 "2012-11-22T00:54:19Z")
> [@Dave\_Hartwick](#): > > Possibly Facebook is not for you. I don’t see that going over well as a status update. I hope you didn’t post this to remind me of the things I’ve said. I, uh, I know the things I’ve said. In fact… _I’m the one who said them._ ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-facebook-and-all-companies-on-facebook/641692/55 "2012-11-22T01:25:12Z")
I like facebook because I can look at cute photos. I’m easy that way. I do opt out of all the games and notification about them here is one of my favorite pages [LINK](http://www.zooborns.com/zooborns/) \<\<\< I dare you not to “like” this! ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-facebook-and-all-companies-on-facebook/641692/56 "2012-11-22T01:26:24Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Also, SFP, do you ever post when you aren’t drunk anymore? (Apologies if there’s some legitimate reason for your typoes. But, seriously, you “sound” drunk.) yeah. Sorry about that. Ive addressed this in other posts, but i havent lately. I’m not drunk. I have been posting from my ipad almost exclusively, and i simply can’t type on it without a thousand typos per post. I try to be diligent about it and clean up the post as much as possible, but sometimes i hit submit before i should and then move on. I am going to go back to my laptop to post out here. I’ve read some of my posts and i cant get through them easily myself. I thank you all for your patience with me. I am the fat-finger king. This post took an embarassingly long time to type out, simply because every other word had a typo. The autocorrect and auto complete software on the ipad is awful, so i turned it off. It was causing me just as many mistakes. I hope this made it through with minimal mistakes. Thank you for pointing it out and giving me a reason to explain. Ultimately, the responsibility is mine to put out a clean post… I’ll do that with a laptop from now on whenever possible. Giving up convienence for readability is a small price to pay when you cant type a sentence without a mistake. Oh, and fuck facebook! ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-facebook-and-all-companies-on-facebook/641692/57 "2012-11-22T01:37:30Z")
> [@Dave\_Hartwick](#): > > Possibly Facebook is not for you. I don’t see that going over well as a status update. I think it might spread like wildfire 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-facebook-and-all-companies-on-facebook/641692/58 "2012-11-22T01:41:11Z")
[The Professor]Face-_WHAAAA_??[/TP] ---
**Author:** ![LouLou7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@LouLou7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouLou7)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-facebook-and-all-companies-on-facebook/641692/59 "2012-11-22T01:57:54Z")
I have actually been boycotting Facebook for the past six months or so, and I have to say, I’m enjoying it. Every time I get a notification from Facebook, I delete it. Everytime someone asks me if I’m want to be FB friends, I say NO, I’M BOYCOTTING FB. The reason why, you ask? Well, I joined, and instantly got friend requests from about a hundred people I USED to know. My birthday came, and I got happy birthday messages from many of those people, like about 40 of them. I took the trouble to respond to each and every happy birthday message, with a heartfelt, personalized thank you, asking about their families, their well being, and if they would like to get together for coffee sometime. Did I get EVEN ONE RESPONSE??? I DID NOT. I realized that they don’t REALLY want to be friends with me, they just want me to be counted as one of their FB friends, and to make sure I keep reading their status updates…and I realize I don’t want to be friends with them either. So, I’m not reading their status updates, I’m not wasting time reading FB stuff, and I’m not missing any of it either. Yeah, I know I’m probably a hateful old crone, and I’ll eventually be left alone, sitting on my front porch throwing rocks at the neighborhood kids who come up in my yard. But for now, I’m not missing Facebook one little bit. So there!!! LouLou, the Hateful Old Crone. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-facebook-and-all-companies-on-facebook/641692/60 "2012-11-22T02:01:47Z")
> [@LouLou7](#): > > I have actually been boycotting Facebook for the past six months or so, and I have to say, I’m enjoying it. > > Every time I get a notification from Facebook, I delete it. > > Everytime someone asks me if I’m want to be FB friends, I say NO, I’M BOYCOTTING FB. It might be easier for you to simply delete your Facebook account. Or failing that, you could turn off email notifications. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-facebook-and-all-companies-on-facebook/641692.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-facebook-and-all-companies-on-facebook/641692.md?page=4)