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
19
Subscribe to commentsanonSwitchedNov 17th 2010 12:32AM
My friend had her Facebook account deactivated and she received the message about having to show an ID to reactivate. However, it was reactivated without her doing anything earlier this evening.
SeriouslyNov 17th 2010 3:16PM
This happened to me. When I showed proof of identity they still couldn't reactivate my account. Then today it all of a sudden opened back up. So if you haven't showed an ID yet. You probably wont have to anymore.
sante4Nov 17th 2010 12:55PM
Why doesn't FB respond by telling those who have received this notice of a disabled account with this information? Instead, I received a denail of reactivation and told that their decision is final. Without understanding what happened, I don't know if this is just a FB glitch or someone has stolen my identity.
rebeNov 17th 2010 3:16PM
I received the same message but my FB pages was running again last night and I got the denial message this morning.
Billy MitchellNov 17th 2010 2:27PM
I would say bye to FaceBook before I would give them my private information including Date of Birth. The DOB on Face Book is not my real DOB. I don't even remember what I put for my DOB.
RogerNov 17th 2010 7:56PM
Quote: "The DOB on Face Book is not my real DOB."
How do you think they get your real DOB? It's when some idiot shares his/her address book with them.
Zmg88Nov 17th 2010 2:26PM
This is why I don’t use facebook
DarNov 17th 2010 2:43PM
So Facebook, notorious for privacy and security problems, want you to send them a photocopy of your ID... Please tell me people aren't this stupid. Do you know the kind of problems that could arise from this? You'd might as well just throw your credit-cards out the window, in the 'bad' part of town. It'll save time, at least.
I'd really like to see if this problem is affecting mostly female users. That would be interesting to investigate. And if it is, the 'bug' excuse is going to look very thin. I'm already suspicious of this. I find it very odd that they can't just reactivate an account closed from the time the 'bug' went live to when they stopped it. Why the demand, and make no mistake it's a demand, for a photocopy of your ID?
If you have a FB page, you might want to seriously consider if reactivating it is really worth the risk. At the least, wait a week or so to see if your account is reactivated.
hopalongNov 17th 2010 2:42PM
Don't fall for this PEOPLE. I dumped Facebook a few months ago. The best thing I ever did.
Natalie RossNov 17th 2010 2:51PM
I am really irritated with FB here lately! Because my page is slow & when I comment on someones pics,it says the exact same thing on all the other pics & I have to keep refreshin my page!What's goin on,FB never gave me trouble before until the past few weeks!!!
hildrethNov 17th 2010 3:18PM
facebook is the bottom of the barrrel !!!! my dob, in the last century loooool if my account is suspended, i don't want it to be reactivated......
mallettheadNov 17th 2010 5:02PM
just spent $150.00 to get my computer fixed because of fb and i am out of work!! but have to have it to certify for unemployment benefits! good bye facebook forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
aunderwood1977Nov 17th 2010 6:04PM
My facebook was deactivated as well and I was asked to send a copy of my id for proof. Guess I won't be using FB anymore because they aren't going to get that from me!
anniewheelrNov 17th 2010 6:14PM
I wouldn't give them any information. They don't need verification of information on people to begin with so why would they need to have it to reopen an account?
I am finding Facebook more and more a waste of time. Most likely I'll be dumping it after the holidays. It just isn't that great and there is a lot of potential problems for people who don't realize that what they say is private seems to be more and more NOT private.
That and while they have some great games there is no way I am giving them access to the information to play them.
azmom64Nov 17th 2010 6:35PM
My facebook was deactivated yesterday because of the above bug. I had no idea why! But when it ask for a govt picture ID I said to heck with this! I am supplying anyone with that sort of information. Facebook could just drop dead for all I cared. Later in the evening it just opened up. Go figure
ronabzzNov 17th 2010 6:44PM
I, too was disabled on facebook yesterday and followed all the click here for answer, which was a total waste of time. It just gave me the same runaround on everything.To top it off the dumb thing then ask if this answer my question! Duh? If it had answered my question I would not have had to call my brother who is a computer programmer to see if he could figure out what was wrong with it.Because I was not about to scan a GOVERNMENT ISSUED ID to these idiots. Thank goodness I didn't because late yesterday evening I was magically restored. i begnning to think that Facebook isn't worth this much hassle.
lynhndrsNov 17th 2010 6:49PM
I would never show my ID to anyone I don't know. If I lose my Facebook, oh well, it was fun while it lasted! They will not get my ID!
sendafayNov 17th 2010 7:17PM
I know how to TALK to my friends without poking at a little keyboard-- It's called a telephone!
RogerNov 17th 2010 7:48PM
Facebook is a data warehouse, not a social network. It's a joke that they want even more data for a bug THEY caused.