Social Media : How do you use them ?

[BandOfBrothers]

Hey Everyone.

I was reading some news from BBC Tech titled "Facebook now used by half of world's online users"

And part of the piece States ”Half of the world's estimated online population now check in to the social networking giant Facebook at least once a month. Facebook said the number of people who use it at least monthly grew 13% to 1.49 billion in the three months to the end of June. The number is equal to half of the estimated three billion people who use the internet worldwide. Of those users, it said well over half, 65%, were now accessing Facebook daily.“ Source : BBC NEWS.

This made me think about how much I used personally used these sites. Personally I use FaceBook (Paper App Version) to keep in touch with past and present work colleagues, friends and family, and importantly view recent photographs of my two Grandchildren.

I also use Twitter heavily to keep in touch with several bloggers in connection to the jail breaking community ,and several bloggers on Tech along with a few other businesses I communicate with. Do you find these Social Media options useful or not. Do they hold too much information on us / privacy. Do you use alternative Social Media options ?

Pro's and Con's

[Nabs]

@BandOfBrothers 

You're forgetting Google+ :smileytongue

:

I use Google+ for keeping track of Android app beta's as well as keeping an eye on several technical communities. 

I personally use Facebook for keeping in touch with school friends or former colleagues. I typically only log in once a week or so. 

I use Twitter a lot for sharing news articles (which then automatically post to Facebook to save me having to do it), For anyone who wants to, feel free to Follow @bilies on Twitter :smileywink:

I use Blinkfeed for reading all my social media so I very rarely go to the individual sites these days

[Sukhi]

I use Facebook to keep in touch with friends and family. I must check it half a dozen times throughout the day. 

I use Twitter mainly to see what everyone in the world is talking about and also check various news channels

I love taking pictures so for that I'm addicted to Instagram and Snapchat.

What did we do before all these social media channels?

@Nabs I think I already follow you, if not I'll do this now

[BandOfBrothers]

The Art of Conversation still existed before Tech introduced itself. 😉

[jeffkinn]

I use Facebook and Twitter extensively to stay in touch, see what people are up to and also to keep track and make comments about serious matters including some geo-political interests I have.

Google+ is the cinderalla of social networking and, despite Google's attempts and stats, will never be mainstream. Most people, including those with Android phones who automatically have a Google+ account, haver never heard of it let alone use it.

What I'm concerned about is not people who over use social networking but the reports that seem to be gathering pace about the UK government's plans to outlaw whatsapp, BBM and iMessage.

[froggerty]

Tthe only social media I use, if you can call it that, are a few Forums. I don't use any others such as Facebook, I have a life and like keeping it pretty much to myself, my friends, in the true sense of the word, all know where I am and I they and if we want to communicate we either visit each other or speak on the phone. I don't like the idea of social media sites knowing your location and pretty much everything else about you, I know you can keep most of your details private but there's not much privicy in telling everyone what your doing or have done every day, I and my predecessors write that in a diary, which will benefit and interest the following generations. I also think that putting your daily life in print on a World-wide accessable site  and people 'following' you is like being stalked, no thanks!

[jeffkinn]

I always wonder why people who choose not to have a Facebook account do so as though they are on some high moral ground by talking about having a life and real friends. It's something I've come across on several occasions.

Facebook doesn't publish any information that it's account holders don't freely and voluntarily decide it should publish. I am not stalked nor a stalker and such suggestions are total nonsense. I also have a very real life because life and Facebook are not mutually exclusive.

[Retired-Laura]

This Facebook personal use and for my Roller Derby team (Staffordshire Devil Dogs).

Keeping in touch with friends, posting pictures and of course networking.

Setting up events for my team and getting involved in the local community.

Twitter is a must for me as well - Again I use it for the same reasons, as I also do online gaming through Twitch so I run my channel through Twitter too.

Instagram is awesome for roller derby too loads of action shots get pasted on there.

I think I have an account of some format across all the social media sites as that’s my entertainment, love a good old look at life and see what people are saying and moaning about.

[froggerty]

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@jeffkinn wrote:

I always wonder why people who choose not to have a Facebook account do so as though they are on some high moral ground by talking about having a life and real friends. It's something I've come across on several occasions.

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Perhaps you don't understand because you've never considered that most people get out and do things like meeting up with their freinds, visiting them and taking part in going places, doing physical activities, speaking to one another on the phone. I'm not saying that social media does not have a place, it seems that other media that the public connect to such as newspapers, radio and TV stations, encourage people to use it as a contact point, it's just the fact that I can't see the point of people telling everyone else who, what and where you are and what you're doing every day, it just doesn't interest me.

[krish12344]

Wow, it's fascinating how Facebook has become such a huge part of our online lives! I totally resonate with using it to stay connected with loved ones and Twitter for niche interests. While they're handy, I do sometimes worry about privacy. Do you have any alternative social media platforms you prefer?