Thursday 19 August 2010

Under surveillance

You must all be familiar with facebook. I don’t believe that someone who knows what a blog is (reading or writing one) has never heard of facebook. I know some people that refuse to create a profile (good for them), but at least they know what it is.

Anyway, I’m not a great user of facebook. I don’t have a farm, I don’t play games, and I don’t have a collection of fanpages or applications. I use it mostly to upload pictures so that my friends in Greece can see them, to keep in touch with people around the world and to be reminded of their birthdays. The only application I do use is the virtual bookself where I write some book reviews and read what other people have to say on books I’d like to buy. Of course, occasionally I do spend time on it, checking other people’s profiles, pictures and comments. I will no deny that.

However, I try to be discreet at the information I put online. I have never mentioned about my personal life, relationship status etc. I believe that unless you are married or something, it’s not very wise to do so. Also (unfortunately) some relatives and simple acquaintances of mine are now my friends in facebook which really spoils the fun of it. There are things I don’t want them to know. Of course I have them in a ‘limited profile’ category, but still…


The last ‘blow’ came two days ago when my mother send me an invitation on ‘facebook’! Yes, my mother!!!! When I first saw it, I couldn’t believe it! OK, my parents are quite technologically literate and I always feared that this day would come. However, I was always trying to keep them in check. We’re not using msn or skype to chat. I know if I told them more about them, they would constantly try to get me online. Now, I know that msn would have been much safer than facebook! What was I supposed to do? I couldn’t simply not accept the invitation! I think she would notice that one of her children isn’t one of her friends!

So, what happens now? I have to be careful not to put ‘bad’ words on my statuses! Try not to upload pictures that might upset her? Never mention again that I go out partying and drinking until early in the morning? (I don’t do drugs anyway). I already know that she found out about my scuba diving from the photos I’ve uploaded. I ‘forgot’ to mention it to her, since I know she’s terrified of scuba diving because members of her family suffered from the diver’s syndrome (thirty years ago). It’s not like she’ll forbid me of doing something, but sometimes I can’t stand her whining / worrying / complaints on the phone.

My only chance is for the whole thing to just blow away. That at some point, she might get bored of it and not spy on me and my brother on the internet (yeah, right)! What are the chances of that happening?

10 comments:

  1. darling!

    i accept my loving open minded grandmama and refuse my father on facebook...how

    used to get very2 lousy comments from me sister on YM on my gay friends and their naughty comments, so i have to delete n ignore her n her family forever...yuck what a mistake.

    never put ur family member in ur social networking....put em under diff classification "dangerous n flaming atom" hahaahhahaa!

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  2. i had an uncle on facebook who noticed my relationship status and freaked out about me being gay. So i deleted him. I have family on facebook, i'm not too concerned, but thats only because i have that kind of relationship with them.

    Each to their own they say, and you'll figure out the best way to handle each situation.

    I like Su n Steves classification though. lol.

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  3. I don't use facebook, though I think I'm blog adequate (what's a farm?)

    My parents can hardly manage email, so no fear of them finding me out *ever*.

    ahoj

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  4. My parents long ago came to the conclusion that I'm a grown ass man and am going to do what I want. I often feature super gay shit on my blog and even post pictures of myself in states of artistic undress. If that kind of stuff bothers them, or anybody else, they certainly don't have to dial up my page. I don't have any shame, but I do consider that my mother will probably see whatever I'm doing online, which has caused me to censor myself in a way that ultimately ends up protecting me from potential employers or coworkers having something to hold over my head or fire me for being inappropriate. Everything we put online is a broadcast to the world, which obviously includes the people we know. If I don't want family to see that stuff, there is no reason to share it with a total stranger.

    To answer your question, there is pretty much NO WAY your moms or anybody else will stop keeping tabs of you LOL

    I just try to be myself and make no apologies.

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  5. @Suf_n_Steve I also like the categorisation that you suggest. I'll try that. I couldn't not accept her...

    @wozzel :-) I can't say I'm too concerned. I was just surprised...

    @MadeInScotland. Good for you. The 'farmvile' or something like that is an application of facebook where you grow your own farm. Most people use it. I have many invitations per day (not funny).

    @Westopher I'm sorry but I disagree with you. It's not about them accepting that I am a grown man or shame but it's about respect. They know that I have sex but that doesn't mean that I will go and have sex in front of them. Some things are for 'strangers' only and not family members.
    OK, I'm exaggerating but I hope I make my point.
    No, lol. She will not stop checking on me.

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  6. You could do what tweens are doing today, and creating two facebook profiles: One for you to keep up appearances, and one for you to be you.

    You could also use the grouping feature to restrict things down to a sub-set of your "real" friends, and allow everyone else to just see your generic posts.

    Or you can do what I do, and ignore facebook requests from family (except for my brother). ;-)

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  7. Ummm - facebook is catching on - it's easy and maybe your folks also want to show you that they want to be in contact. Just keep it clean on FB going forward - unless there's a way to ban them from your FB page.

    PS: I'm not a big user of FB myself - I just check it when I have nothing else to do!

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  8. My mother bought a laptop mostly for the use of my sister and me when we are up there. I'm rather grateful she treats it the way a caveman would, i.e., with suspicion and incomprehension. I get phone calls from her:'it's telling me to sign in, but I AM signed in / do I type the question into that thing that looks like a frying pan? / well, how do they expect you to know THAT?' - then she loses patience with it and switches it off for a month. There is no chance of getting her on facebook

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  9. My mother recently joined facebook and I'm still not okay with it. LOL

    Great Post!

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  10. @Gauss_Jordan I can't be that bothered to create a second facebook profile. I can hardly maintain one. I'll def use the limited profile settings though

    @SteveA Same here. I don't use facebook that much either.

    @Vilges_Suola lol. that's nice of her to get a laptop mostly for you guys.

    @TOY_COUTURE thanks

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