Facebook Debacle

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TiredOldFlyer

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As a non user of Social Media (apart from AFF of course )I do not understand what today's fuss re Facebook is all about.
Facebook have made a commercial decision, as is their right.
I cannot figure out why you need to read news and etc via Facebook when there
numerous web sites apps and so on.
Our business deals with the Govt regularly via the Web. It would never occur to me
to log in via Facebook.
Perhaps someone can tell me what I am missing ?
 
As a non user of Social Media (apart from AFF of course )I do not understand what today's fuss re Facebook is all about.
Facebook have made a commercial decision, as is their right.
I cannot figure out why you need to read news and etc via Facebook when there
numerous web sites apps and so on.
Our business deals with the Govt regularly via the Web. It would never occur to me
to log in via Facebook.
Perhaps someone can tell me what I am missing ?
Exactly, there an infinite number of other sources for news, easy to use them.
 
... Perhaps someone can tell me what I am missing ?
What are you missing? Perhaps divulging your day to day activities to random strangers. Permitting others to know your regular work and social habits. Allowing nefarious types to view everything about your family and friends. Informing anyone as to whether your home may be empty tonight or next month when you are all away and that it is suitable for a burglary.

Well, I’m exaggerating a bit, and you no doubt would exercise some level of caution. However, you are potentially missing out on such experiences if you reject FB.

Someone else may explain this better than me, but apparently you can restrict who views your FB activities to a group, or groups, so as ne’er-do-wells and other undesirables can be kept from prying.

These comments are a bit tongue in cheek and as I don’t participate in FB, this is information has been gleaned from avid supporters.

Don’t forget that there are millions on Facebook who regard it as virtually indispensable for all sorts of valid reasons.
 
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I actually applaud the Feds on this and hope they stick to their guns

It’s a difficult one. I think it’s good, in principle. But the fear in the long run is that will end up with Murdoch in bed with Google (already happening) and Facebook and that won’t be good for democracy.
 
Perhaps someone can tell me what I am missing ?
You have to remember that there are many smaller websites that rely on Facebook and others to direct traffic to them, Australian Frequent Flyer being no different.


Yesterday, this page would have been full of the latest articles posted to this website, keeping the 4859 people who have followed the page informed of the latest stories as they are posted. Now, it's an empty page. All because Mark Zuckerberg isn't prepared to negotiate fairly.
 
I own a safari company and we promote tours, packages etc on Facebook. It’s listed as a “travel agent”. Whatever the automated “news blocker” is at Facebook has decided we are a “news outlet” and blocked the page. All data seems to have been wiped and the page isn’t publicly accessible. Trying to deal with Facebook to get them to fix it makes Citibank look exceedingly competent.

I’m sure plenty of other businesses have been caught up in it a well. The last thing we need after a very difficult year.
 
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As a non user of Social Media (apart from AFF of course )I do not understand what today's fuss re Facebook is all about.
Facebook have made a commercial decision, as is their right.
I cannot figure out why you need to read news and etc via Facebook when there
numerous web sites apps and so on.
Our business deals with the Govt regularly via the Web. It would never occur to me
to log in via Facebook.
Perhaps someone can tell me what I am missing ?

You don't need to, and there's nothing wrong with not doing so.

However, a large number of people do use facebook for news, especially in the 18-24 and over 75 groups in Australia. The issue is that those who do use facebook as such a hub will now find alternative sources, or just be less informed. Whether that's direct web sites (which would be fine) or their favourite fan pages (Peter Evans and the like - (though the former is now also banned)), which wouldn't be so great is the concern.
 
You have to remember that there are many smaller websites that rely on Facebook and others to direct traffic to them, Australian Frequent Flyer being no different.


Yesterday, this page would have been full of the latest articles posted to this website, keeping the 4859 people who have followed the page informed of the latest stories as they are posted. Now, it's an empty page. All because Mark Zuckerberg isn't prepared to negotiate fairly.
Yes and all these sites are happy to leach users personal information to enrich the pockets of facebook.

Facebook needs to be controlled in stealing personal data by legislation.
 
I own a safari company and we promote tours, packages etc on Facebook. It’s listed as a “travel agent”. Whatever the automated “news blocker” is at Facebook has decided we are a “news outlet” and blocked the page. All data seems to have been wiped and the page isn’t publicly accessible. Trying to deal with Facebook to get them to fix it makes Citibank look exceedingly competent.

I’m sure plenty of other businesses have been caught up in it a well. The last thing we need after a very difficult year.

Agree Facebooks actions continue to be disgusting and not surprising that they often rank as the most ‘despised / hated / mistrusted / anything negative’ Fortune 500 company

Completely back the Feds dragging their lying cough over the coals on this one and pleasing to see other countries are lining up to follow suit.
 
I was just posting elsewhere that at least a dozen friends can no longer be accessed and these are scuba diving friends/not businesses/personal accounts.
 
I’m sure plenty of other businesses have been caught up in it a well. The last thing we need after a very difficult year.
I have a page and was also blocked. Trying to get hold of them is near impossible. When I went to post a link to the website of the page (which came up as a block too) it brings up the option to report and I was finally able to submit a form and now have a case number.
 
What amazes me is how quickly FB is able to take down all of these legitimate news sites, along with inflicting the collateral damage of taking down other legitimate but non news sites when they say they "can't" take down sites that promote hate speech. They really are showing their true colours here.
 
I have 2 major parts of thought here...

1. Yes, I am a regular FB user. But I don't really use it to access mainstream news. I use it as a social network. And the news is available in various other forms.... I generally go straight to news websites to get an overview of what's happening... however....

2. Many small businesses, who rely on Facebook to share information, are being caught up. AFF as previously mentioned, Wall of Sound (music news site), Karting NSW (sporting organisation) and countless others. So this great platform that I could use to access all sorts of other types of news in one place. It was handy.

FB is a private business and they can do whatever the hell they want. Might backfire, though?
 
You have to remember that there are many smaller websites that rely on Facebook and others to direct traffic to them, Australian Frequent Flyer being no different.


Yesterday, this page would have been full of the latest articles posted to this website, keeping the 4859 people who have followed the page informed of the latest stories as they are posted. Now, it's an empty page. All because Mark Zuckerberg isn't prepared to negotiate fairly.

Further to Sam's post, with AFF seemingly caught up in the Facebook debacle, I would just like to take this opportunity to encourage anyone who previously subscribed to the Australian Frequent Flyer Facebook page to subscribe to the Australian Frequent Flyer Gazette. It's free and you'll get the latest AFF articles delivered directly to your email inbox every Monday & Thursday morning.

 
I have 2 major parts of thought here...

1. Yes, I am a regular FB user. But I don't really use it to access mainstream news. I use it as a social network. And the news is available in various other forms.... I generally go straight to news websites to get an overview of what's happening... however....

2. Many small businesses, who rely on Facebook to share information, are being caught up. AFF as previously mentioned, Wall of Sound (music news site), Karting NSW (sporting organisation) and countless others. So this great platform that I could use to access all sorts of other types of news in one place. It was handy.

FB is a private business and they can do whatever the hell they want. Might backfire, though?
I'm in the same position - really only use it for keeping in touch with the friends and family overseas, and I usually get my news from the source - although I have enjoyed reading comments on the ABC Canberra page, something that is not available on the ABC app for example.

I also agree about the convenience of everything in one place, including overseas news sites like New Yorker, BBC etc that are a bit more effort to find directly.

And I understand that FB is a private business.

But, and this is the real but, I am appalled at a 10,000lb hairy gorilla like FB throwing their weight around so indiscriminately and immediately. They blocked charity sites, emergency services sites, weather warning sites, health sites, including COVID and had the hide to say that we could get our COVID information from their COVID hub, all whilst allowing 5G conspiracy theories, "microchips in the vaccine" posts etc to be included on the site, and saying that these and other hate speech stites can't be taken down. I call BS.

If I can find a way to stay in touch with my overseas cohort, I will be leaving FB as a result.
 
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Further to Sam's post, with AFF seemingly caught up in the Facebook debacle, I would just like to take this opportunity to encourage anyone who previously subscribed to the Australian Frequent Flyer Facebook page to subscribe to the Australian Frequent Flyer Gazette. It's free and you'll get the latest AFF articles delivered directly to your email inbox every Monday & Thursday morning.

And I'd like to encourage people who can afford it to become an AFF supporter - it does not cost much ($75 per year for Gold) and is all a part of the paying to keep quality journalism and useful information available to all. Plus there are some added benefits. Please consider, if you can.
 
If I can find a way to stay in touch with my overseas cohort, I will be leaving FB as a result.

There's always WhatsApp ..... oh hang on a minute, who now owns WhatsApp ....

Therein lies another problem.

Edit: Maybe it's time to encouraging all my WhatsApp friends to migrate to Telegram, many of them are on both anyway.
 
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