Facebook, Internet, Etc

[OldGreyEagle]

Who knew this thread would propagate so many new threads...

 

Yes, so the young man posted in the internet therefore we can assume he wants the whole world to know... right?

 

Back quite a few years now, I was doing an Eagle Board of Review, based on a conversation with my son I knew just a smattering of "MySpace". I asked the first Eagle Candidate if he had a MySpace page and he said yes, then I asked if I went on it, would I know he was a Boy Scout. The poor guy turned red, green and a few other pastels. Apparently he had never thought of "old guys" knowing about MySpace or using it or anything like that. Made for some lively questions ever since

 

And now we have Facebook. The COuncil Camp the troop attends has a Facebook page and I guess the staff all think its quite the hoot to be a "friend" of as many of the scoutmasters as they can find. So, after I joined Facebook to trade family photos I was inundated with Friend requests from Summer Camp staff, the only issue has been that some do not always do a god job of keeping their language or activities "secret". Ok, I do not care to know how much you love your girlfriend nor do I think most of the scoutmasters care to read how hot she looks in whatever it is she looks hot in. One summer camp staff member joined a group that was named "XXXX School" and it was not that he liked school at all.

 

I have told staff members that I in no way wish to tell them what they can or can't post, but if they do wish to continue, to just take me off their list, I am whittling things down as well.

 

I realize I may be seen as an old fuddy duddy and not hip, but then again, I am ok with that. I wouldnt let them speak that way around me, why do I have to read it?

[NickP412]

People tend to act different on the internet. The things people my age post on facebook is ridiculous. (im 18 btw) Some "like" pages about weed and beer and stuff and they are clearly underage. No employer will find it as amusing as them im sure.

 

Im friends with my parents, fellow arrowmen, my fellow camp staff members, scout leaders, younger scouts from my troop, my boss at camp and even my Grandma. So Before I "Like" or post anything I try to think how the various people may interrupt it.

 

As for would people be able to tell I was a scout? With all my pictures I have up, groups I belong too , friends I have and my about me section I think people wouldnt know I did anything els, but im odd like that lol.

 

People just need to remember to be safe on the net. Nothing is private and people are honest all the time.

[Scoutfish]

WOW! This can be sooo such a touchy subject:

 

I have a facebook page. I don't care who sees it either.

 

But I will give a word of caution: I type things just like I say them. The problem is this: You cannot hear wether I am irritated, joking, amused, sarcasticly good natured or sarcastically mean natured. You cannot hear my tone of voice or how I stress certain sylables.

 

I have friends who do things that I by no means condone...yet, I can still laugh and joke with them.

 

I may not support a particular page, but comment on a particular Item on that page I may find funny.

 

 

My only advice when dealing with facebook or Myspace is this: Take everything and all of it with a grain of salt. The way you take things and understand them may be more of a reflection of you than the person who's page you are reading!

[Scoutfish]

One more thing:

If any of you are familiar with facebook or if you are actual users:

You know how aggrivating it is that it seems like every freaking week - Facebook keeps changing how they do things: Security, privacy, and connections to the rest of the net. One day your private stuff is private, the next day... it may be the newest rage in blogs sites.

 

Also( from personal experience) I might read where a friend has commented on a particular post, click that I like MY FRIENDS comments.... and the next thing I know...My own page lists me as a fan of the page my friend commented on...all without me actually ever going to that page.

 

So now I am a fan of something I never saw. I sure hope it doesn't happen to be the "gay communist gun club for cavemen who detest GIECO and plan revenge! " page.

[shortridge]

OGE,

 

I think that's a great question to ask at BORs or SMCs. Really gets the Scouts thinking about the whole "daily life" thing!

 

I'm a fuddy-duddy. I'm only Facebook friends with - gasp! - actual friends. I've broadened the definition in recent months to include more co-workers. My rules are that I don't friend my bosses; I don't post anything that I wouldn't want my mother to read; and being a newspaper reporter, I don't friend anyone I'd consider a "source." So however nice a guy the state agency spokesman is, I don't friend him.

 

I guess that explains why I only have about 120 friends when others have 1,000-plus. Quite a few of them are former camp staff co-workers, btw. But I probably wouldn't seek out a Scoutmaster whom I'd met the week prior and friend them.

[shortridge]

Sorry, the Double Post virus took over my computer for a second.(This message has been edited by shortridge)

[Scoutfish]

"I'm only Facebook friends with - gasp! - actual friends."

I stand guilty of that too!

[Eagle92]

What's interesting is that more and more potential employers and empoyers are looking at FB and other social media. My council didn't hire a few potential DEs b/c of posts and photos on FB. I commented one time about a challenge I was having at work, nothing major just a minor problem with some new responsibilities I got, and my boss found out about it from my post. Luckily it wasn't a major problem, and she understood why i didn't go to her as I thought it was very minor, frustrating, but minor.

[NickP412]

If it werent for facebook I wouldnt know about most of my OA Lodge events or friends graduation partys. Facebook and other networking sites can be dangerous but if used properly are very useful. I'm just waiting for facebook to be integrated with E-mail.

[evmori]

I have a Facebook site and I don't care who reads it. There is nothing there I am embarrassed about! And those people I have as friends are friends in one way or another.

 

If a Scout or anyone has a Facebook page and doesn't think people will read it is sorely mistaken. It is a public forum.

[Troop24]

I have chosen not to be "friends" with my Scouts on Facebook. I am an ASM and I know for a fact that there are times that we adults need time around the campfire to compare notes and just plain let our hair down with out interference from the fellas. I feel just as strongly that the guys need that time around the campfire to simply be boys and do those things that boys do when there are no adults around to rebuke them.

 

I do not need the fellas drawing inferences about my behavior and moral compass based upon something one of my "friends" may have posted that I may not exactly share the same opinion on. But since it appears on my wall they may think I agree with it. Let the boys have there time and me have my time.

[SSScout]

"But I was just kidding! I didn't REALLY mean that! It was a JOKE for chris'sake! Couldn't you tell? It's what kids do nowadays! It's just words! "

= Uh huh. But then, how do I know when you DO 'mean it'? If it is said, verbally, or electronically, or on paper (remember paper?), it is being "said". "A Scout is Trustworthy". "Let your yeah be yeah and your nay be nay. And what is once said can never be recalled, or erased, only apologized for.

 

I do not like the FB for that reason. Even the folks that I have as "real" friends, I have politely refused to be their FBfriend because of the far reaching effect of it. I like looking at family albums, and sharing that, but I think that it is far too far reaching. Privacy and security systems are, in this eworld, not assuances of real privacy. I will listen to anyones sharing about work problems, empathize about girl/boy/significant other problems, by phone, in person, even email (which I will then turn around and say let's get together and talk about it). But broadcasting such things out into the world is asking for trouble.

Collecting "FBfriends" numbers (nyah nyah, I've got more ASMs in my list than you) is kind of in the category of the chain letter of old to me. Perhaps it is a reassurance to the FBpager of their popularity?

 

I liked the story of the MYSPACE Eagle candidate. Could anyone see in his page that he was a Scout? Why should he mention it at all?

Why indeed?

[Scoutfish]

 

 

ABSOLUTELY!

 

If one of my friends does, says, or likes something...it may show up on my wall wether I agre, like or even care. Don't assume that just because a friend has an opinion, that I'm 100% behind, suport or agree with it!

[NJCubScouter]

I want to thank those of you who have posted about Facebook (and Myspace, etc.) in this thread and the earlier one, for confirming my belief that a "social networking" account is something that I don't want, don't need, and will continue not to have.

 

If anyone wants to communicate with me (meaning the real-life me, not the anonymous NJCubScouter me), they can do it the old-fashioned way: By e-mail!

 

(I say that last part only half-jokingly. I have actually been told recently, by several people, that e-mail (as well as "traditional" web sites, such as a troop web site where a calendar is posted) are "old-fashioned" and that the current "mainstream" is Facebook and other social networking sites. Teenagers don't even check their "regular" e-mail regularly anymore, they mainly use Facebook, I am told. I find this kind of ironic since at one time, I was sort of on the "cutting edge" or close to it, having been "online" for almost 20 years, and having used the "Internet" when that term meant Usenet, Gopher, FTP etc. and the "web" was unknown except maybe to a few scientists. In fact, in my son's troop, it's really only been about 5 years since e-mail (and checking it regularly!) has become universal enough that announcing things by e-mail alone is really practical. Now e-mail is old-fashioned? Or maybe it's just me that's old-fashioned...)(This message has been edited by njcubscouter)

[Kahuna]

The majority of my Facebook friends are former Scouts who are now in their thirties or older, and other people I know through Scouting. Kind of nice to keep in touch that way and I've been proud of how well my "boys" are doing.