I deleted my facebook account in 2022 and have essentially not been contacted by friends since, so there's that

:(

Marketplace can be good for local deals and I can’t fault anyone for taking advantage of that

It is addiction just like any other. I felt like I can't quit it, I feel like I will lose connection with the friends and family that is still using it. That it keeps me informed and other BS.

After deleting it on 2nd try (after navigating the maze to delete, they gave 30 days to change mind, hoping I won't be able to resist and will log in. And of course I couldn't resist the first time and logged back in) I realized that I haven't lost anything of value and the people that I still matter I have other ways to contact.

It was just an illusion.

Edit: fixed

Marketplace is the one and only reason I havent deleted my account. It sucks but it is by far the best way to buy and sell.

Marketplace has killed most other local trading stuff sites. Craigslist is still limping along, but has far less available at higher prices than FBMP. I’m happy to hear of viable alternatives, especially for used vehicles, tools and equipment. I’ve saved a lot of money on my business and hobbies that way, but would leave in a heartbeat if there’s a real competitor.

Aside from the already-mentioned marketplace, social networks like FB are fit well for localized giveaways. Where I am, the local analog of FB has groups where bakeries and cafes give out food remaining at the end of the day.

One population that this particularly pertains to are homeless people. Some folks get surprised when a homeless person has a smartphone, but it's a means for finding help and resources.

My elderly father knows how to use it and posts nature photos all the time.

One(1) ethical use for generative AI

I had an account but deleted it years ago, during covid my kids school put a lot of information on their Facebook account so I tried making a new account. Facebook told me there wasn't enough proof I was real, so I made a fake account with a super common name, they were fine with that. So now I have a Facebook account that I occasionally use to repost sports articles,I have zero interest in sports but my guy seems to like them.

That means Facebook already knows what you look like. Otherwise they couldn't have known you submitted the wrong photo.

I never got in, and I stopped letting people take pictures of me so they couldn't put me on there either.

the facial pictures

THIS!

I tried this to get an account. This was back in 2021. My account was deleted immediately. Probably a mixture of name and face. Maybe. But F that.

One wit responded to such requests for ID by sending in a picture of an id with pharoh ramsey's mummy's picture, birthdate thousands bc.

I never agreed to give them my personal information. My emails forced me to, locking me out of accounts I needed to access.

I now found alternative email that doesn't need a phone number or linked other email. I am quitting every site that tried to force me to link my phone number, real name, likeness, id, address, anything like that, without a valid reason.

Amazon just demanded I verify my account again, same ip, same account I've used for years. Verifying under the email I abandoned for forcing my phone verification periodically, that would lock me out of my accounts if I lost my phone or it's service. Trying to make good on my threats to quit them too.

Right? I ditched them almost a decade ago.

Doritos dew it right!

if you’re using an iphone, the avoidance is just your own inconvenience. face id on iphone all happens locally, on a dedicated security chip in your phone. id be much more concerned with having any pictures of myself on google photos

they may get a dickpic

Yes, But the marketplace is actually useful.

Check local alternatives. I use Bazos (though it's only has support for Slovakia, Czechia, Poland and for Austria)

In the UK, auto-trader is used to sell used cars. I guess eBay or Gumtree (if it still exists) to sell stuff?

Craigslist still has people on it, if you learn how to filter out the scammers.

In my country, biometrics are now prevalent. I had a very hard time giving my face to my bank, but the government is on board with this because, they say, we have to combat money laundry. They are trying to tie EVERYTHING to our identities: biometrics, mobile phone number, official documents, bank accounts, they are all tightly tied already.

So, people feel like their biometrics are already out there, since they don't grasp the concept of attack surface. Until now, we need to give our biometrics to vote, to pay taxes, to get a passport, to get a drivers license (in some places), and to get a serious bank account. The only way we can deny biometrics is by not needing any of those services (very poor, and very rich people that don't like to travel the world). Under these circumstances, most people just give away their biometrics to anyone that asks, it's a given for them.

I signed up for friendica, after 2 decades of having never used facebook.

It's blank, and I don't know what I'm supposed to do.

I can't comment on what the facebook experience is, but I imagine they don't just dump you onto a blank white page, with zero explaination.

Note that I am NOT defending or endorsing facebook. I'm just saying the decentralized services have work to do before they can fully be reccomended.

I also recently signed up for pixelfed. It took 3 days to login the first time. And I'm still not sure what the point of collections is. But I did upload 4 pictures.

What is the decentralized alternative where all the people in my city are?

a lot of the big names in image generation fingerprint the images they output to make them easy to filter out of training data. theres a possibility they could detect this fairly easily.

Or just upload a picture of the unabomber.

you and me brother, time to go IRL to the flea market