Facebook Changes Privacy Settings, Ditches Regional Networks

Facebook is ruining my teenagers. Its hypnotic and undermines any attempt to connect humans in the the flesh (NO PUN INTENDED). People have forgotten how to interact in person. Young adults and children need practice at this to be stable functioning adults. Mark my words big brother will go after FB. My kids will be telling their kids about FB and their kids will sputter in disbelief!

Facebook's a booger

Facebook's changes are always more complicated than they need to be. They NEVER make anything simpler or easier to use. IF they are really trying to sell and make the MySpace bucks they're in for a rude awakening. As it is they truly show so little interest in their users I am waiting for the next big social site to come along -- and it will. Their hubris is simply amazing.

Why is this news now? Facebook eliminated regional networks months ago, and we've all been complaining ever since. This is not news. The problem is that once the regional network was eliminated, you can only register in Facebook using the email of a (recognized) school or a corporation, or of an ex-alumni association if you were aready a graduate. This stems from the days of its origins in Harvard as an intra and then inter college social network. It also smacks of a very myopic view, regardless of the 350 million members. For those of us that no longer need or want to be associated with a specific city under our name, i.e "Joe Smith, Miami", either because we no longer live there or don't want to have any associative identifier under our name, we can not change it unless choosing another non-regional network: again, school or corporation. Some have found a work-around by choosing an educational institution that does not require you to have an email account with them to eliminate the old associative identifier, but the point is that you can not simply eliminate it (the old one), you are forced to choose a new one. It's idiotic to have to choose one you are not afiliated with. Only then can you stop the old association from appearing under your name, but now you must have a new one. To make matters worse, if you "leave" the old network like I just described, or any other way you find how, you will lose, get this: you will lose any and all memberships to groups you had while you were in that old network. New groups formed after the change can be made to be "region-less" or better said "network-less": but about the millions of groups already created? A very simple example: suppose you wanted to continue to belong to your high school class of '76 which was formed within the network of the city in which it was, but you don't want that city to continue to appear under your name because you haven't lived there for the past 33 years, and you don't want prospective searchers for your name to think you're still in that city. Then if you leave that city (regional) network, you lose your high school class. You're only choice would be to collect as many personal emails from those classmates as you could to keep in touch but then , isn't the social network aspect of having a "site" where you can "socialize" what Facebook is all about? How can they be so moronic as to miss this point?
There's even a Facebook page for those of us that have been complaining to Facebook management about this change and haven't been heard.
Yes, we like Facebook, were it not for facebook we would never have known about the lives and fates of some dear old friends and sometimes even family, although I'm not personally a wall poster junky, I only log in perhaps once a month to see what's happening or when I receive notice that someone sent me something. And yes, I do believe that there's some people that are obsessed and addicted to this in the worst way.
But as far as we're concerned, Mark Zuckerberg is one more nerd idiot.

I been on FB all day and i did not see an open letter on my page. I think this is a scam by someone

Thank you Facebook!
After 37 years my daughter and I are finally connected.
GregBelter

Quit bitching about something that is free to use. If you do not like it, move on.

i found my son after 23 years,thank you facebook:)

Hey Luckybastrd9
Well duh!!!! How sanctimonious of you. The presence and proliferation of technology in this fashion continues to amaze me. As you astutely pointed out it's all about the mighty dollar whether it be FB, episodic tv, the print media etc. We have succumbed to the lowest common denominator. The aggrandizing and acceptance of (lack of fight against) greed, debauchery (sorry Tiger) and the absurd. But your moniker says it all.. I can just see you having group ski instructors nannies, coaches, tutors, mentors, camping trips, spa retreats for your kids who as teenagers really don't want to be around you. They call this Helicopter parenting. Part of being equipped to flee the nest is having had the autonomy to navigate the world and its technology. My teens will be totally equipped

Ummm....who really gives a rat's ass.