Staring down Facebook

FacebookI’m in my forties (but feel about thirty, except when my knee and back are playing up) and am mystified about Facebook.

What is it with these social networking sites? I just don’t get it!

I registered on Facebook about two weeks ago (purely out of a professional interest), took a look around and within 30 minutes had withdrawn my registration. Perhaps it was because I realised I didn’t have enough friends that would be interested – you need to registered to see your friends pages, which you can’t see unless you know their username, or are invited to do so.

iYomu.comNow there is a New Zealand equivalent – www.iyomu.com. Their strapline is “Social Networking for Grown-Ups”. It sounded like me – I’m a grown-up afterall.

The site is in BETA but there is a hint of what’s to come. I couldn’t see the point. Sure they give you server space to store photos and documents, and movies and music. Here are the problems as I see it:

  • all my music is on my laptop (and my iPod) so it’ll be a hassle to transfer it
  • some of my photos are on Flickr (those that I want the world to see) and my others are backed up on a portable hard-drive – imagine transferring all of that to another location
  • Any documents I want to share I can do through Google documents – I already use their email so the interface doesn’t need to be learnt
  • Thanks for offering but I really don’t need another email address!

I want to maintain some privacy in my life, even from my friends. The argument about how these social networking sites are great for all your friends overseas doesn’t wash with me – surely they are akin to the mass Christmas card you get from your maiden aunt each December – they aren’t addressed to you, they’re addressed to everyone…you’re just a recipient, not someone your aunt really wants to have a one-on-one conversation with.

What do you think?