Most Annoying Things About Facebook
Sure, Facebook can be a lot of fun. It's a great way to reconnect with lost friends and to keep up with people on the fringes of your social circle. And as far as workday distractions go, there's nothing better.
It's hardly a perfect service, though. Minor aggravations add up fast and can drive you nuts. We've combed through the annoyances to find the ten annoyances that bug people the most.
Most Annoying Things About Facebook
Problem: Constant interface changes
Why it's annoying: Granted, innovation is necessary to avoid becoming stale, but sometimes you're better off leaving well enough alone. Facebook has radically overhauled its front page so many times that it's hard to keep count. Just as the anger dies down over one design, the site changes things again -- and confusion sets in. What's the difference between "News feed" and "Live feed"? And why can't Facebook remember which I prefer?
Possible solution: Sadly, there's not much you can do about this -- except wait for the next face-lift.
Most Annoying Things About Facebook
Problem: Inappropriate automated friend suggestions
Why it's annoying: Friend suggestions can be handy, but when Facebook tries to push an ex-girlfriend or boyfriend on you, it's kind of awkward. Similarly, if you've had a major falling-out with someone who has mutual friends, you're bound to see their face pop up in the 'suggestion' field at some point. It makes a clean break that much harder to get.
Possible solution: The little "x" to the right will make the suggestion go away forever. To prevent further frustration, you might want to also click "see all" and weed out any other offending names.
Most Annoying Things About Facebook
Problem: Never-ending game invitations
Why it's annoying: 'Farmville' and 'Mafia Wars' might be fun, but if you don't want to play them, the constant invites are infuriating. Many Facebook games are like Ponzi schemes; the way to succeed is to get more people playing. And once you've managed to filter out one game, another pops up.
Possible solution: It's not too hard to hide the requests and invitations for these games. Just click "Block this application" when you get the first invite. Then, hover over the updates that are clogging your news feed, and click "Hide" when the word appears.
Most Annoying Things About Facebook
Problem: Political fights
Why it's annoying: Between cable news and talk radio, it's hard enough to hide the squabbling between the left and the right. So when political debates fire up on Facebook, it's particularly annoying. All you want to do is see friends' pictures and learn what they're up to -- not eavesdrop on a debate over healthcare reform.
Possible solution: If you've got a friend who picks such fights in their status updates, you might be best off hiding them. You can still check in on them whenever you'd like, but you won't have opinions shoved down your throat.
Most Annoying Things About Facebook
Problem: Imported updates from Twitter
Why it's annoying: Tweets have their own language and shorthand, and if you're not familiar with the 140-character-or-less updates, it might look like someone had a hand spasm while typing. Facebook and Twitter are two entirely different services -- and forcing the two together feels like a poorly arranged marriage.
Possible solution: Once again, you're kind of stuck. Your best bet is to either embrace the language of the tweet -- or learn to selectively ignore posts.
Most Annoying Things About Facebook
Problem: No 'Dislike' button
Why it's annoying: A friend proudly mentions in a status update that she got a promotion. That's an easy thing to like. But what about when they announce they've been laid off? In its relentless drive to be cheery, Facebook hasn't given us the choice to quickly commiserate or disagree with someone.
Possible solution: There's an active lobbying effort to get Facebook to add a 'Dislike' button, with over 553,000 people members of a group specifically asking for one. Hopefully, the powers that be will listen to the protests.
Most Annoying Things About Facebook
Problem: People who 'friend' you too fast
Why it's annoying: Sometimes it's a person you've gone out with one time. Sometimes it's a coworker you only speak with occasionally. But odds are you've been 'friended' by someone you'd rather not have on your list. Technically, ignoring the request is an option, but that can create some real world tensions.
Possible solution: Your privacy settings can make this problem an easy one to conquer. You can block specific people from seeing status updates, photos and more by choosing 'custom' and black-listing them. Then, hide their updates from your news feed.
Most Annoying Things About Facebook
Problem: Stealth tagging
Why it's annoying: We all have horrifying childhood pictures or shots we wouldn't want to share with the world. Invariably, though, friends will post them as a joke of sorts and tag you. All of a sudden, that prom picture of you with acne, coke-bottle glasses, and a really bad perm is out there for everyone to see.
Possible solution: You can untag yourself, which prevents others from putting your name to the picture -- but in some cases, that's closing the barn door after the horse has run away.
Most Annoying Things About Facebook
Problem: Obvious celebrity marketing ploys
Why it's annoying: Celebrities love Facebook -- or so it would seem. But all too often, it's someone writing on their behalf (and often poorly). That doesn't stop avid fans from falling over themselves to 'like' every comment and chime in as part of the 'amen' chorus.
Possible solution: Unless you're sure it's actually the celebrity doing the updates, you'd often do better to just avoid the pages. After all, is it really that critical that you declare yourself as a fan?
Most Annoying Things About Facebook
Comments
16
Subscribe to commentsicluvrMar 1st 2010 6:31AM
Wow.
Well, that's certainly going to curtail my FB use.
Is email still relatively "safe" if you don't open up emails from anyone you don't know ?
JamesMar 1st 2010 12:14PM
Facebook users are true losers. I know some that spend the entire day playing those stupid games like Farmville, I mean, come on! This is the future America you can all look forward to. A bunch of losers that sit and play useless games on a useless site, intended for 18 to 25 year olds. Only these losers are mostly in their thirties and beyond. Woohoo, that'll look good on a resume!
KellyMar 1st 2010 9:17AM
I don't know about anyone else but I'm getting really tired of all the glitches and stalls on Facebook.You can't enjoy the site anymore because of it.I try to play a game & it stalls or has to be refreshed.Now they're telling me that the e-mails are going to the wrong people,what the heck.I'm seriously thinking about canceling my account all together.
Bobbi MillerMar 1st 2010 10:09AM
Since all the stupid changes I can't pull my friends up.I can't email them or anything.If I do finally get them to appear, once I write to one the list disappears and will not resurffice.I am so tired of it being this way.
BarbaraMar 1st 2010 10:13AM
If you are going to have a serious private conversation with someone.....do it with your personal "email account" or in person. Never use Facebook or other social networks as your main correspondence source. Keep your personal life private and do not expose where you live, work or play......not a good idea. I use Facebook for casual exchanges and that's about it.
JuliaMar 1st 2010 10:36AM
If you are going to have a serious conversation what is wrong with a phone?...Some people are so addicted to social net working it's just plain stupid. What happened to "friends in real life" not on here?
toosweet4njMar 1st 2010 10:21AM
ya I sent out address request for my baby shower and people have responded but since I sent it out my inbox hasnt been able to load and everything they say to try hasnt worked...I now after 2weeks of not being able to open it have 40 unreadable inboxes and no addresses...I sure hope none went to a stranger since they are peoples HOME ADDRESSES
JuneMar 1st 2010 10:22AM
I am sure glad I don't use Face Book.
JuneMar 1st 2010 10:24AM
I am sure glad I don't use that lame social net working site.
lostelixerMar 1st 2010 10:44AM
Narcissistic facebook users deserve this. They will keep using it anyway, idiots.
becktweenaMar 1st 2010 11:08AM
All of the new so called improvements to Facebook are annoying. You can't play games without constantly being asked to post your latest achievement, and they all want your email address, and ask for it every single time you log on to a game. I'm sure that it has to do with finally charging for their service, dispite their constant denials. I've used Facebook to find relatives and long lost friends, which is great, but they can leave things alone, since they can't get a handle on the changes that they have made already.
The big question is.................why does AOL find it necessary to constantly post negative stories about Facebook?
erikhoveMar 1st 2010 11:51AM
Duh! All part of the machine!
BrinkMar 1st 2010 11:53AM
Duh... All part of the master plan.
ANNAMARIEMar 1st 2010 12:12PM
FACEBOOK HAS BEEN GIVING ME PROBLEMS SINCE SHORTLY AFTER SIGNING UP.GIFTS THAT WERE SENT DISAPPEAR,CANT GET INTO SITES I WANT.SLOWS DOWN TO A CRAWL OR HANGS THERE FOR A TIME TIL I CLICK OUT OF SITE ALL TOGETHER!! FACEBOOK SUCKS AND THEY ARE ALWAYS WORKING ON IT!!!
patnpatcMar 1st 2010 1:32PM
There is no privacy left in this world. You use a computer, credit card, debit card, pay bills online etc. You have no privacy. If you choose to post on a social site watch what you say for it will come back to bite you in the ass.
MalisaMar 1st 2010 2:49PM
(James said 12:14PM on 3-01-2010)
James, did you ever think that to some home bound people FB is a God send? A way to connect with others?
Not everyone is healthy and can get out and about. At least with FB, they are able to find friends with common interests, even if it's a game like FarmVille.