Submitted by Rona_Gura on

My Facebook Protector

Categories
Lifestyle

Facebook is protecting me. I have a Facebook friend that I knew in high school. Over the years I have not kept up with her other than what I see on Facebook.  Her posts, that I see on my news feed, have consisted mostly of pictures of her children and pets. And, for the past year, pictures of her grandson.

 

Last week, there was the typical post of her grandson but with a comment that I found to be very surprising and disturbing. I texted some of my friends from high school with whom I socialize with regularly.  My friends did not understand my surprise as they told me that was very typical of her posts. They also told they had unfriended her a long time ago. Intrigued, I went to look at her page.

 

In looking at her page, I found almost daily posts consumed with the rhetoric that I had found disturbing. Yet, somehow, these posts never made it to my news feed. Facebook only showed me pictures of children and animals; posts Facebook somehow figured out that I would find pleasing.

 

I am unsure whether I will unfriend her as my other friends have done. I am also unsure as to how I feel about Facebook editing what it shows me or doesn’t show me from a “friend’s” feed.

 

Have you been edited? What are your thoughts about that?

Comments

Corey Bearak

Do not know if I have been edited. I have friends share comments of "interesting" posts by other friends (small "f" intended's I distinguish between Facebook Friends v friends who are on Facebook, even in the Meta subsidiary does not so distinguish). Do not care if Meta edits me out. I have unfollowed in certain cases; rate that I unfriend. In one case I blocked someone appearing on my newsfeed -- we can chat about that next time we see each other or enjoy a call.
Fred Klein

Big Brother is with us 24/7. Beware!
Kelly Welles

Didn't realize FB was that granular. My beef is that Ibget friend requests from people who arealdy friends (hopeful hackers?). Why cant they prevent that?
Shelley Simpson

Posts appear based on our activity and some every changing algorithm. Also, it is possible to determine with each post, who the audience is. I have a public page and so when I am with my grandkids, I often change the setting to reach a specific audience. And when I want to see what someone is up to, I go and see since I don't count on FB or any of the platforms to keep the loop the same way I would. And I have blocked people who post inappropriate (my judgment call) material. That's our prerogative.
Daniel Schwartz

Facebook has been doing things for years that some may consider questionable. It is always changing. I notice when a significant event happens, such as a death, or anniversary, I seem to get more responses as if Facebook opened that post up to "all" my friends. But in daily posts, I get the same 30 or people that may respond. I can't figure out why but I am not losing sleep over it either.
Cynthia Somma

I don't know how or why FB does that. I'm grateful either way. I am more into un following now a days as opposed to engaging. It can be exhausting.

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