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Comment by ajdlinux | Hacker News Reader

I do notice small businesses using Facebook in lieu of a website - I find myself having to check Facebook to find today's specials menu at the two cafes I normally buy lunch from...

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I don't have facebook and have no plans of ever making an account. These Facebook only companies are nearly impossible for me to interact with, so I just don't. Facebook used to let you look at stuff without an account but they eventually reached the tipping point and now a lot of stuff is inaccessible to me.

Not sure who is on the wrong side of this garden's wall...

Its the same for clubs who may have a website but for event details you have to check Facebook.

Agreed, I keep reptiles and there are few active reptile communities outside of Facebook.

Speaking of "garden's wall", even the bigger problem is when our local communities organize some event where everyone is welcome (everyone who's used by fb that is) and this digital fence is becoming taller each year. RMS calls such people "useds", I just simply call them neighbors.

My local consulate (I’m an immigrant/ex-pat/whatever) uses FB for all announcements and Messenger is _the_ communication channel. If you need to talk to them, you need to either go personally (3h drive for me each way plus waiting lines) or you send them a message on FB. They usually reply within 5-10 minutes.

Many small businesses also seem to depend on FB for communication.

I can avoid the latter, but my consulate is why I can’t delete my FB account.

I always tell those businesses that if they're only on Facebook, then they have no internet presence that I can use.

As much as I want to, I also like not being a jerk to my friendly local cafe owner who's already busy enough without having to figure out how to do a web presence.

I don't think it's being a jerk to inform a business of what works for me in terms of customer relations. That can be done in a jerky way, of course, but it can also be done in a polite, reasonable way.

I don't demand anything of a business, but if they direct me to a Facebook page, I see nothing wrong with letting them know that's not something I can use.

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