....is it just me, or does this make you angry too?
A couple years ago I joined FaceBook. I did so mainly to connect with some old friends from back east. I admit, in the last couple years I've gotten caught up in playing some of the inane time-waster games. But, the cool thing has been staying in touch with friends and family.
I've set my privacy settings pretty high because I'm that sorta person. (I guess that's a little bit of my mother's internet paranoia coming through.)
Anyway, this morning I received an unsolicited personal message from somebody that I don't know. This person was sending out private messages to quilters to promote her business. How did she get my name?
Maybe it's just me, but I find this a huge violation of my privacy. I think it's as bad as the idiots who come ringing my doorbell trying to sell me something, blatantly disregarding my "No Soliciting" sign. That's the only time I truly enjoy having a dog that goes totally bonkers when the doorbell rings.....go get 'em Spotted One! (Only kidding, sorta.)
So, what are your thoughts? Am I the only one that finds this offensive? Would you do business with a company that you heard about in this manner?
6 comments:
Don't blame her, blame Facebook. Your privacy settings may be high, but that only means other people can't see your info unless you let them. FB can see it, and it is designed and programmed and written to put you in touch with other people like you, so if on your profile page you say you're a quilter, FB is going to try to hook you up with all the other quilters, and will send you - and other quilters, whether you know them or not - messages saying "hey, so-and-so is a quilter, wanna check them out?"
It is unfortunate that some people will use FB for commercial/business purposes, but that's the nature of the beast. "Social Media" is one of the fastest growing marketing tools. I'm sure if you either ignore her or send her a PM back, asking her not to contact you again, you'll be fine.
If you notice on the right hand side of your pages FB gears ads directly to things that you have shown interest in. . . .the message you received was generated through the same way the ads show up.
I don't open or respond to any messages that I get that are from people that I don't know.
AND if someone wants to "friend" me because we were in the same class at school I double check the yearbook to see who they are (FB has been one way for me to always know where the yearbook is!! he he)
That's all true about facebook but they could have gotten a message to you if you have a popular quilter like Mark Lapinski, Pat Sloan or whatever. they could be going thru their friends list and sending messages that way. Or maybe not. That would a lot of work. If I don't know the person, I usually don't friend them and no, I wouldn't do business with someone or a company that solicited that way. Now, I have friended or became a fan of like Hancock Fabrics, and some other businesses and they solicit and I am okay with them because I chose them.
Makes me so glad I have this inner ban saying no facebook for me.
I hate some of the bad things it does and am content to just miss out on the good stuff.
Sometimes scarry that blogging can also be a bit abused, although I seem to have been pretty blessed.
I left FB (for MANY reasons) a few months ago and haven't looked back.
Liz - I have been trying to find you...and I can't find you on facebook (but by this post I see you are there). Look me up...I really want to reconnect. 12 years in Poulsbo and two kids have made me loose touch with you! Mark and I were talking about you and Steve just the other day!
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