Poll: Do you have a Facebook account? | Hacker News Reader

Poll: Do you have a Facebook account?

36 pointsxijuan71 comments

This is a hard one to answer - I have a couple accounts for work purposes (one primarily to test out FB integrations, and another for networking with customers/clients).

Am I a Facebook 'user' though? No, I removed my last personal account over a year ago.

> This is a hard one to answer

The question is pretty straightforward--it asks if you have a Facebook account, not if you are a "user."

It's easy to answer if you take the question at face value. But is taking this question at face value very meaningful?

Sure, but sans context this is a pretty empty bit of info.

Carrying this on further - I have a MySpace account as well. I haven't logged on in 5 years, but I do have one.

There are 2 kinds of people in this world -- lumpers and splitters. Maybe we should take a poll on that.

I assumed the question meant "user." As far as I know, Facebook never really deletes your data anyways. Far better to unfriend your real-life friends (message them first) and delete your existing posts (or "faux-delete" in reality, haha user!) and then fill your account with random, fictional garbage.

Have a Facebook account, but only use it in a secondary browser. On my phone I use an app that wraps the mobile site: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.danvelazco...

I'm OK with using Facebook in my primary browser on my laptop because I use Ghostery[0] (although I'm not entirely sure that's sufficient), but I definitely won't install the app on my phone - I use Tinfoil as well.

0: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ghostery/mlomiejdf...

I have several Facebook identities. I use them sporadically when necessary, and only for specific needs. None of them are even closely related to my 'real' name.

Can you elaborate?

He/she's an EPA administrator doing undercover work for the CIA.

catfishing

Sure. Despite having qualms about its existence, I recognize Facebook as a somewhat useful utility, until a better option becomes widespread.

The only way for me to use that utility in way that protects my privacy and anonymity is to have several (quasi-fake) identities there, and never provide the machine with more data than I need to complete my task (read up on an event, manage a group I run, etc.)

You need a fb accounts to use certain services, like Spotify.

Multiple personalities?

you should probably add a few more fields to this:

- Have one, but don't use it

- Had one, but deleted it

Also, the meaning of "use it" is pretty broad. Post and tag pictures of myself vs send an occasional message to someone whose email address I don't have

You either have an account, or don't. First one says you have, second one you don't.

Bob is founder of a business. Bob's business has an account. Has Bob got an account?

Bob is an employee of a business. That business has an account. Bob's job is to run the account. Does Bob have an account?

It's a little bit (but not much) hazier than a simple yes no.

Or, 50 shades of yes, otherwise no which is plain

- Have one, but under a false name

- Have several

- Use a shared account

Facebook is, for me, a means of online social interaction which often leads to "real life" get-togethers within my closer circle of friends.

For example, my church's young adults group uses a Facebook group and events to track RSVPs for our twice monthly prayer nights, allowing an appropriate amount of food to be planned for in advance. The connections formed through the FB group have in turn led to a large number of other invitations and get-togethers involving movies, dancing, Bible study, etc. The group has grown significantly in the past couple of years, and though I don't think it's all attributable to social media, Facebook has certainly been instrumental in its growth and coordination.

Interestingly, I have very few Facebook friends related to my professional life. Instead, I generally interact with my software development and business peers by way of Twitter and LinkedIn.

Yes, I've had one since early 2005 when a .edu email was required to signup.

I have 0 friends and the only content is a single status post of:

"I don't use facebook, please contact me via email".

I am surprised how many nos there are.

To all the people that don't have an account (I'm serious): why don't you? It seems like something that you can easily regulate. I have a super small number of friends. Almost no pictures. I haven't updated my info or approved any wall requests in a while. Even after the whole, "everyone is now searchable" most people who try and friend me say they can't find me to friend. I do use it to chat/look up people whose cell numbers I don't have and I don't think I spend too much time on the site (there just isn't enough interesting content). Reddit/hn is another story though.

Am I really that naive to think that my digital footprint is still pretty low key even with a facebook account? I mean sure, facebook/nsa can figure out who I am easily enough but that isn't going to change if I "delete" (aka hide) my account. As for employers, I'm pretty sure even if I gave them my username and password (which I would obviously never do) they wouldn't find anything interesting.

"To all the people that don't have an account (I'm serious): why don't you?"

1. I've never felt the need to have one. E-mail, phone and face to face meetings are enough for me. My age may have something to do with it: I'm over 50, so I don't have a lot of friends who think that Facebook is an essential part of life - we all survived most of our adult lives without it.

2. I disapprove of Facebook's policies (real name requirements, ever-changing privacy settings, "like" buttons that track people all over the web, etc.) and don't want to support the company in any way.

Both fair points. I guess fb just offers enough value for me that I don't mind the tracking stuff. I definitely agree it is a scumbag move to track people without their knowledge but I think it is just too easy to educate yourself about the tracking that some of the blame (at some point) should shift to the user and not the company.

Just my opinion, I'm not arguing or anything. I can definitely see why people don't like it.

1. Can't argue of course but use case, for me, is my cousin's daughter's daughter. A long heredity chain I'll confess, but being from an old school large family, that child is the same age as my own. That means that I have a point of contact with a relative that I would not otherwise have. So, thanks facebook, really brilliant meaningful connection I would not otherwise have.

2. I agree.

I got rid of my Facebook account around two years ago.

I used to house clean every few weeks by deleting old, uninteresting posts. Each deletion required at least three clicks, so the process took over twenty minutes each cleaning session.

At the time, Facebook helped my stay in touch with my gang of friends overseas, with whom I had grown up. Still, I was already fed up with the constant user-hostile changes to Facebook's security settings.

It was one last twenty-minute cleaning session that pushed me over the edge. I thought about the constant push-back from the Facebook UI whenever I tried to delete, or secure my data. The good of staying in touch with my pals was outweighed by the disgust at sacrificing my privacy to a company who had no respect or concern for my wishes and opinions.

Two years now, and I feel so much better. To be honest, I lose a little respect for people I meet now, if I find out they're still using that abomination.

Facebook is like a zombie. I deactivated mine, but a few days later one click on some other random web site that used FB authentication and the Facebook account had been reactivated.

You have to drive the hickory stake all the way through the heart and into the ground below or it doesn't take.

No. Had one but delete it.

Same here.

Same, had one but deleted it along with reddit, yahoo, twitter, linkedin, stackoverflow and others.

But interestingly you still use your HN account

The HN account is new(er). It seemed like a safer account to create and it wouldn't require any attention.

The same. I really should find time to delete all others, also I'm not really using anything right now

Go ahead and log back in. You didn't "delete" anything.

Deleted mine as well. After I waited a couple weeks and tried to log back in I was unable to. The question of how much data was retained after deletion is still up for debate.

I have one, but I hate having it.

Unfortunately, I have friends that use the platform for announcements and events. Without Facebook I wouldn't know what's going on. You'd think people would still communicate in other ways, but I have to find out about events through Facebook because I know people will forget to call or text me otherwise.

In my group, there's an unspoken expectation that you use Facebook. If you don't log in or keep an eye on what's going on, you just miss out.

If I hear one more "...well I sent you a FB invite!" when explaining why I missed an event, I think I'll go crazy.

Here is my typical usage of facebook. - I mostly lurk and comment. Login may be once or twice a day. - I have the app on the phone. But I only ever login if I want an address or a phone number of a friend. - I stopped sharing on facebook, I mostly use google+ for that now. Most people who share my interests are already there. - I use the facebook login creds for websites that support them instead of creating a new account. I also mark the posts from the said websites to be visible only to me so I don't spam my friends.

Deactivated mine this morning. Early New Year's resolution.

My Facebook usage patterns have become significantly healthier since I installed News Feed Eradicator. I still use Facebook chat and other FB features extensively.

News Feed Eradicator: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/news-feed-eradicat...

I don't use it. Every 5 months I get on Facebook, scroll for a few seconds and close the tab. I literally just don't care anymore.

Yes, a personal account for me.

I probably over share information.

I've recently moved some things away from FB onto other platforms - whatsapp, 23 snaps, instagram, etc etc.

I dislike FB - I don't like the horrible privacy stuff, and I don't like the changing inscrutable interface. (It makes me feel old. I feel like an old person calling for a 12 year old to program the VCR.)

I think it's a nice way to keep track of people that I otherwise would not have the bandwidth or time to keep track of.

I said yes. This is to keep in touch with some of my friends who do not leave nearby and have FB accounts. Also, some of my friends maintain FB accounts in order to keep in touch with children (and friends' children) who tend to stay on FB.

I understand the limitations and potential dangers of FB, however the convenience outweighs them.

Had one a few years ago, but deleted it. So yes, I've probably still got a facebook profile.

I don't like to think of myself as being their product. I am not aggressively narcissistic. I have a bad enough case of FOMO and FOBO already. I prefer friends and conversations IRL. Broadcasting is one-way communication, or asynchronous at best.

I do, but it's only to use on the random website/sweepstakes that require an account (not even my real name). I don't consider myself as having one.

Deleted my real one in 2011 and haven't looked back.

I wish I could say "no", but having a considerable part of our customer feedback/engagement on our FB page, Page admins are required to have one...

I have 2 accounts. The second one is for testing/dev purposes, and has only 1 friend (my real account). Feels liberating to log in and see nothing.

"You have deactivated your Facebook account." That was about 18 months ago. I've heard various things about what I could do with it now.

Without Facebook how do I know where I'm going to party/hangout this weekend or tonight?

Facebook events and photos are the best. Because people use them!

I primarily use it as a way to chat with people I know. Since most people I know use it, it is the most convenient platform to do so on.

Same, if FB had a standalone chat app, I'd just use that and really never go on the site.

It does, but only on iOS. "Facebook Messenger"

Last time I checked, it supported XMPP.

Yes, but only for testing FB integration at work and getting Metro 2033 for free for liking a page last year.

Have one. But I don't use it. Use it just for some app development.

I have one for testing, but I deleted my personal one a few years ago.

I've never had one. Certainly no intent of starting now.

Yes. But I only use the messaging app on my smartphone.

Do check the permission it requires.

And now I feel a little bit sick.

Impressive % of no's

Probably selection bias.

+ number of people who are really leaving the site.

Do you have a Facebook account? Sign in with Facebook to vote!

Exactly. People who don't have it would be more inclined to click and vote.

So much shame in here...

what's your facebook?

I have one, but very likely I will close it soon.

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