Dan Antion

Facebook RD – #JusJoJan

That’s not a typo. This isn’t a post about Facebook’s research and development. This post is about Facebook’s razzle-dazzle attempts to get me to spend more money. I’m sorry, that would be spend money – I’ve never spent my own money on anything Facebook.

I qualified that last statement because I did once place an employment ad on Facebook, when we were looking to hire a tech-support specialist. During the setup, I specified a market area of 25 miles (40 km) around Hartford, Connecticut. I added the job requirements and I explained that the job was on-premises – no telecommuting available. I was working with a Facebook “specialist” who suggested that we would probably get close to 100 responses. We received two responses – both from Taiwan.

These days, Facebook wants me to spend money to promote the No Facilities page I administer. They tell me with almost every post that “This post is performing better that 95% of other posts on your Page. Boost it to get more great results.”

No thanks Facebook.

There are really only a small handful of people who follow this blog on Facebook. I know them, and I appreciate their views, likes and comments. However, in Facebook’s twisted world view, those likes, comments and views add up to more than they should. In the first place, Facebook considers me to be a visitor to my Page. Several years ago, it was up to individual users to change their identity. I could log in and then identify as No Facilities. Now, Facebook makes this determination “intelligently” on my behalf. Here’s how that works:

I get a notification that there’s a new post on No Facilities.

I get a notification that Person-A reacted to that post.

I get a notification that Person-A liked that post.

I get a notification that Person-A left a comment on that post

I get a notification that there is new activity on No Facilities.

I get an offer to “Boost” my post.

I Like Person-A’s comment.

I Reply to Person-A’s comment.

I get a notification that Dan Antion liked a comment by Person-A.

I get a notification that Dan Antion replied to Person-A’s comment.

Person-A replies to my comment.

I get a notification that Dan Antion and Person-A replied to Person-A’s comment.

I get a different notification saying “Dan Antion replied to Person-A’s comment on a link that I shared.

I get a notification that my post is performing better than 95% of my other posts. Would l like to “Boost” it?

I get a notification that Faith Antion and Person-A like my link and that I should help them see future posts by inviting them to Like my page (they already do).

Also, while Person-A is reading, liking and commenting to my post, he notices that there are two older posts that Facebook never bothered to notify him of. That’s because I won’t pay them to “Boost” my posts.

I have sat back and watched as three people (two of whom are me) engaged in a series of back-and-forth comments and pushed a post to an all-time high level of “engagement.” It’s crazy, and it’s all part of a razzle-dazzle scheme to count every bit of “unique” activity so it can be used to justify advertising, promoting and to show that there’s still life left in Facebook.

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This post is part of Linda G. Hill’s wonderful way to start each new year – Just Jot January. Today’s prompt is “Dazzle” and was provided by – Debbie at Debbie Gravett. Please visit Debie’s site and join me in thanking her for the prompt.

This was our walk on Saturday morning.
Waves of snow remaining on this lawn.
On Saturday, it looked like we were walking in winter.
Saturday morning at the park. Drivers have been doing donuts in the parking lot.
It was pretty cold at the time of our walk. This vest goes over Maddie’s harness.
Those shadow-like areas turned out to be a very thin layer of ice. Maddie and I were both slipping along on that until we realized it.
Saturday brought relatively warm rain, and melted most of the snow.
It’s litter, but sparkly.
By Sunday morning’s walk, the snow was gone.
The snow is mostly gone, but the ball field isn’t ready for spring training yet.
MiMi is trying to sleep, as usual.
Maddie and I are going to sit for a while. It’s chilly and cloudy, so she has her coat on.
“Yes, Maddie. It’s all set up.”
It was warm enough on Sunday to sit. Maddie still isn’t bothered by the squirrels.

90 comments

  1. That porch still looks really nice…
    Facebook.. bleh! Im very sad I learned that they own IG too. 😔
    Suddenly when I am trying to reply to commeNts on myBlogger page it treats me like a visitor making a new comment. 🧐

    Liked by 1 person

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    • I just had to log into this page in order to reply to you. Technology is great, when it works, which seems less and less often.

      When Facebook realized that people were turning to other platforms to escape FB, they started buying them. It’s hard to escape the likes of FB, Google, Amazon, etc. I don’t know if you guys have Bittersweet, or Virginia Creeper, but these guys remind me of those plants.

      On a sunny day, the porch is quite comfortable. It seems to gather and hold the heat. Maddie has made an interesting discovery.

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      • I am highly allergic to Virginia Creeper. It’s juice can spot my skin and cause an eruption. That’s a great analogy in my estimation. Maddie is a smart gal. I Think they are just trying to keep busy or put to work all those IT ‘specialists’ who really aren’t special at all, most of them looking to make easy money. I do not say this lightly or with disrespect to the real pros like you and all those dedicated to improving broken systems or techs like my son who writes programs. I refer to those basement dwellers who think up bizarre ways to shuffle things like a deck of cards or Yahtzee cup just to see what they come up with for the sake of making something different, like fashion designers cutting holes in perfectly dandy jeans just to create a new ‘style.’ 🤦‍♀️

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        • I didn’t know you could be allergic to Virginia Creeper. We have to wade into it in one bed where it grows and rip it out by the roots.I can’t imagine what that would do to you – probably like what poison ivy does to me.

          I have to keep reminding myself that facebook’s goal is to make money for facebook. They don’t really give a rat’s back end about us..

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          • Nope. They don’t. Just like when I mention that I have a blog. One you g person might ask “Really? What is a blog?” The others instantly ask “Oh yeah! Can’t you make money with those?” ☹️ Irginia Creeper is my worst nemesis. It gets into your bloodstream and if you scratch it comes up with new welts where you scratch it. It’s miserable. Im no good with poison ivy either but it’s more avoidable.

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  2. Yikes!! FB sounds like a nightmare, at least for bloggers. Then again, I don’t understand why anyone goes on FB and splashes their selfies and personal information all over the place.

    LOVE the photo of Maddie and the squirrel. We humans should take a lesson away from pictures like this. Poor MiMi…..she can never get an uninterrupted nap!

    Interesting to see documented in your photos how quickly some rain can eradicate the snow.
    🐾Ginger 🐾

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    • I tend to agree about Facebook, Ginger. I share very little out there, but a few people like to find my blog posts there. I interact with them, and a few friends, but I don’t see it as a promotional platform. I keep threatening to start posting photos on Instagram, but I haven’t yet. I also haven’t resurrected my Flickr page for photos, but that is coming.

      Maddie just doesn’t seem to be bothered by the squirrels. It’s weird, she bothers our cats more than she bothers them. We put the cot and chair out first, then come back to get Maddie. When we come back, the squirrel was already there. Like, “I saw you were coming…did you bring peanuts?”

      MiMi is getting used to finding me in more places, with lights on and making noise, than she wishes were possible. The Editor is a much better cat than I am.

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  3. I rate that as a good weekend if Maddie got walks and sits. You’re a good Dad. :-) FB’s RD – love it. I have my personal page that is empty of content because I deleted it all, but I do comment on ‘friends’ that I know and groups I participate in. I also manage my blog account and the MG account and definitely see all the messages you outlined above. I’m sure there are reasons to pay them for something, but I don’t have one. They can throttle down who can see all they want, I wouldn’t pay them a penny. Matter of fact, except for the groups and MG page, I’d get off there completely. Have a good week.

    Liked by 1 person

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    • It was a good weekend, Judy. Your usage is much the same as mine. I belong to a few groups, and I interact with a small group of friends who only seem to connect on FB. I generally steer clear of the ads, games and pressure tactics. The regular readers of my blog sometimes go several posts without getting a notice. If FB thinks I’m going to start paying to make sure they get that, they’re wrong.

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  4. This sounds like notification abuse or misuse. Facebook keeps making changes and updates that will scare people away rather than bring in new users. I’ve been fortunate that the only torture I feel from FB are the constant ads for anything I’ve ever searched for. Although, I have to say that FB Marketplace helped me sell a couch whereas Craig’s List only brought out the trolls.

    Have a good week, Dan, and give a few scritches to the furry kids from me.

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Thanks Mary. When I wake up MiMi, I’ll tell her “Mary sends her love.” I’ve heard good things about Facebook Marketplace, but I notice that regular “Sellers” have started to invade that. Good ideas get corrupted pretty quickly because of people.

      The changes in the notifications are FB’s way of encouraging people with pages to spend money advertising them. That’s also why they stopped letting bloggers publish to their personal FB page. I never used to do that, I set up the No Facilities page so people could choose to follow or not. That worked for a while, but now only a very small percentage of those followers are notified of new activity.

      I hope you have a good week. Feed Gibbs.

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    • You’re right John. “Dan, here’s a list of 50 people you might know. One of them is a friend of your cousin’s ex-wife’s neighbor. Don’t you want to connect with him?”

      They can keep trying all they want. It’s not going to happen. I am spending less time on FB, and my circle is shrinking like the random Warp Bubble on Star Trek.

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  7. “I have sat back and watched as three people (two of whom are me)”…oh, Dan–excuse my laughter, but this is nuts. I am not on FB–no desire to be, either. I do like your sparkly photo! I am all about the sparkles.

    Liked by 1 person

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    • I’m glad you liked the sparkles. Cigarette pack littler is disgusting, but yesterday, it brightened our walk (for a bit).

      It’s just crazy when Facebook sends me (Mr. No Facilities) a notice that Dan has liked my latest post. Their use of technology is so screwy.

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  10. For some reason I’ve never understood Facebook, perhaps I’m overthinking, but it never clicked with me. Even though I NEVER post on it anymore I still get interrupted several times a day by announcements that others are posting. Sigh, maybe it’s time to shut that down.

    Liked by 2 people

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  12. I know exactly what you mean about Facebook. They’re gimmicks are worse than TV commercials! I’ve never paid a cent to Facebook and I never will. I don’t even like Facebook, but I like keeping up with my family and friends.

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  13. I tried a few FB ads, Dan, when I first started marketing my children’s books. They brought my page a ton of likes from people who have no interest in buying my books, or even looking at my cakes and artwork. I don’t buy ads any more. I love the photographs.

    Liked by 1 person

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  15. FB has decided that I’m in the market for a romantic wedding venue in Bora Bora. So silly as I have been married for almost thirty years! Clearly their algorithms need some help. I’m actually seeing more traffic on my blogs from Instagram and they aren’t hard sell.

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  17. I’m laughing so hard I’m nearly choking. Please tell me what idiot would fall for FB’s nonsense? Hysterical to read! Yet I am sure it is a PIA for you as you are being notified about your own activities and due to those activities FB says …. well, BS basically. Need I go there when you just did? LOL
    You are about on the same page as we are weather-wise. Crazy, isn’t it? I’m almost scared now to look into my gardens to see what else is coming up. Daffodils?
    Loved your gallery!! Always I smile when I see your 4-footed Angels. Still have that smile on my face, Dan. Thank you!!

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  18. Maddie looks so cute in her lumberjack shirt. :) <3 The snow pictures are beautiful, as always. I do love to look at other people’s snow. Glad you and Maddie didn’t fall on that treacherous stealth ice. Notice, I’m not commenting on Facebook. I’m on it, but I can’t say I’m a fan.

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    • Thanks Marian. Maddie actually slipped once on the ice. I was worried because one section froze over after we had already walked down the driveway and were walking back. No options. No need to comment about FB – if you’re there, you know.

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  19. Sounds about right. I’m laughing as hard as Amy, because I get the same sequence of events on my CM Facebook page, and sometimes on my personal page as well since they’re linked. I would never give Facebook any money – there are plenty of other sites to which I can unload all my available cash and still not see any results of any kind.

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  21. I know what you mean, Dan. I’ve had it “up to here” with one “membership” I bought recently. Instant buyer’s remorse, and they constantly try to sell me more… Be careful with that ice. Ice that I couldn’t see landed me in the hospital back in DC. Have a great new week. Hugs.

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Thanks Teagan. We were being soooo careful. I bought business cards after I retired, in case people want one for my email. Most people take it electronically, so I bought 100 cards. I get two emails a week trying to sell me more “stuff” for my “business” – it’s crazy.

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  22. I like Maddie’s Buffalo check vest and the specular highlights on the trash…pretty!

    You know, I’ve never tried making donuts in a parking lot anywhere ever, and I’ve only once accidentally burned rubber and it scared the hell out of me. I shook for 10 minutes afterward, but I do like to go fast. Go figure? 🤣

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Maddie likes her vest. When we take it down, she knows where we’re going. She gets up on the couch and sits up so we can get her front legs through the openings.

      I would think it would be hard to do donuts with today’s cars and their traction control, but these guys seem to have figured it out. My dad took us to the high school parking lot in the snow. He made us get into skids and practice getting out of them. He also let us do donuts :-)

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  23. One of the things I’ve learned recently is that many, MANY self-published authors make their bread and butter on Facebook and Amazon ads – NOT on their creative efforts. Yes, you too can make 6-figures a month with your novel! (That is, IF you fork out 90% of six-figures a month to take part in social media campaigns. Isn’t that fun?

    Not for me it ain’t, and I’m sure not for you, either.

    But I get it, I suppose. For some people, this is the only source of income for them, and they are making it work, as best they can. I’m glad don’t rely on book royalties and/or associated social media income for my livelihood.

    Liked by 1 person

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    • I can barely pay attention to my self-created to-do list, Maggie. I would fail so big trying to manage all of that. Not that I wouldn’t like to have book royalties, but I’m not up for spending my time making these platforms more successful. I pay to offer an ad-free experience for my readers. I guess I have this all wrong.

      Liked by 1 person

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    • No offense taken. MiMi is pretty bright. There are days I’d trade places with her.

      I just publish my posts out there, I don’t do anything to promote them. There are a few people who prefer finding them there.

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  25. Facebook — UGH. I haven’t found a good way to use that page, and now that it won’t share automatically to my personal page (a big part of the original appeal) I have to manually post links anyway. Why on earth would I pay FB to “boost” something that’s in the weeds already??

    Liked by 1 person

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  27. I shut down my page well over a year ago and hardly ever go to FB. When I do, I have 99+ notifications and at least three of them are “Your page is rotting from lack of engagement” or whatever, so it’s like FB doesn’t know I removed it?
    This may seem shallow, but my favorite bit of this post is Maddie’s outerwear fashion. Do I like the blue puffy or the hunting jacket more? I can’t tell, cause she’s so stinkin cute in both! :)

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Why on earth would they ban your blog? When I see the absolute garbage that they allow out there, and then read that they ban someone like you, it makes no sense at all.

      I have to be there for several associations that I belong to. Beyond that, I communicate with a very small circle of friends.

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  30. I refuse to be on Facebook. Yes, I’m boycotting the site. I guess I could announce my posts on Facebook automatically but I refuse to do it. Family members aren’t talking to each other because of the ludicrous site.

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    • I understand. I had to be there for my job, and I still have ties to groups that I can only interact with through FB, so I’m there. I’m not trying to “promote” my blog, which is why I’m never going to spend money, but I would like it to be available to the few people who prefer to find it on facebook.

      Liked by 1 person

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      • I understand your situation, Dan. Plus, if you haven’t been one of the parties in a confrontation at the site, you probably haven’t got any reason to hate it.

        I did read your article correctly and was glad you didn’t pay for Facebook advertising. It wouldn’t have changed my opinion of you in the slightest if you had got with the deal but I would have been shaking my head at you.

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  32. I love Maddie’s buffalo plaid coat. Your great photos help ease the arrogance and annoyance of FB. Once in a while I put a blog post on FB. For the most part, it is a way to see photos of my grandchildren and friends.

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  34. I paid for one FB ad a couple years ago on my author page. They told me I got some high number of “engagements” from that ad, but I didn’t see any significant evidence of “engagements.” I think FB suppresses exposure on professional pages so we’ll buy ads. I get more responses from sharing stuff on my personal page.

    Liked by 1 person

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