Facebook is 20 years old today

Retro

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It feels like Facebook has been around forever, right? Well, you're not far wrong, since it's been around for 20 years today, launched on 4th February 2004 and was then called The Facebook.

I have a love / hate relationship with Facebook due to its datamining, but especially its dodgy auto moderation nailing me for nothing at all and not even allowing me to see the post that supposedly broke the rules. Even the issue cited is boilerplate generic, like "your post broke community guidelines". Given these two things, I have a warning and / or sanction handed down to me and I don't even know why. How is anyone supposed to "improve" under circumstances like that? It's abusive, ridiculous and highly frustrating.

After the last incident a few years ago, I've reduced my Facebook time and number of posts drastically, plus deleted the app from my iPhone, too. However, I still had a post deleted a while back and I never even said anything controversial. I have no idea which one it was, or why it was deleted. I was given the option to "appeal" the decision, but as usual, that was ignored. I hate being taken for granted like this, hence my partial withdrawal from Facebook.

On the other hand, it's a good way to keep in touch with friends who live far away in other countries whom the friendship would die simply due to distance. Yes, there's WhatsApp and other ways, but it's not the same. The news feed and thousands of groups are good, too. If it hadn't been for this, I may have closed my account. Indeed, I have a few friends who did close their account as they got sick of Facebook's ways.


thefacebook.jpg


Look at the image above. This is how Facebook, or The Facebook as it was then known, looked when Mark Zuckerberg and a handful of friends launched it from their student digs 20 years ago.

Since then, the world's most popular social network has been redesigned dozens of times.

But its aim has remained the same: to connect people online. And make mountains of money from advertising.

As the platform turns 20, here are four ways Facebook has changed the world.


 

Tiffany

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Great post, Retro! Hard to believe fakebook is 20 years old today. Breaking up friendships and relationships for twenty years and even encouraging live suicides and criminal mayhem.

Sorry a bit jaded, but agree that at least you have an easy way to stay in touch with people that would otherwise go missing without ....k...I'll say it right, facebook.
 

Mars

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I never liked facebook, never had an account, I live happily without it.
Did I hear someone say 'fakebook? You are so right, Tiffany:)
 

Tiffany

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Yeah, fakebook has brought joy and dread to so many over the years. I watch the shows like "Caught in the Net" and "Web of Lies" and they are very revealing on the inner-trappings of social media and how the unsuspecting can be prayed upon. Very sad. I slow walked into fakebook many years ago. I just wish people happy birthday except for the occasional political argument with my cousin...lol.
 

Uncrowned

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I have a love / hate relationship with Facebook due to its datamining, but especially its dodgy auto moderation nailing me for nothing at all and not even allowing me to see the post that supposedly broke the rules. Even the issue cited is boilerplate generic, like "your post broke community guidelines". Given these two things, I have a warning and / or sanction handed down to me and I don't even know why. How is anyone supposed to "improve" under circumstances like that? It's abusive, ridiculous and highly frustrating.
Ah yes, now I can get muted for a post I made 20 years ago and can't even find myself, but the bots sure will.
 
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