[Anonymous37919]

I don't really like Facebook. Forums for me, have always been easier to use.

The downside to using forums in 2022, is that many of them are just not active anymore. Have you noticed that there's fewer users posting?

What do you think? Which do you prefer? Facebook and Twitter type sites, or the forum format?

[lizardlady]

This is the only "social media" I am involved with. Facebook etc. all have waaaaay too much drama on all of them

[downandlonely]

I do like the forums better because I think people tend to be more polite and there's more anonymity.

[Nammu]

I don’t know that my opinion is very informed because I’ve never been on fb or Twitter. Everything I’ve ever heard about them is alarming so I stay off. This is the only connection I have to the outside world. Yes, there seems to be less people on than there used to be.

[eskielover]

Where I live in a rural community, our community posts happenings a lot on FB & my local friends are on it. We stay connected with FB & use phone for personal things. Read some controversial general posts & never shy away from a discussion or expressing my opinion. I actually find that FB meets my needs & thinking now in my life more than the forums do. After recovering from the mental health issues I had from the situation I was living in, it is harder to relate any more on the forums & I have found that many don't like to hear any other way of thinking about the issues they are having. There is a season for everything in our lives & that is ok

Used to use Twitter a little but not for a long time.

Find out political things on Telegram but usually don't post there

[nonightowl]

Originally Posted by Nammu

I don’t know that my opinion is very informed because I’ve never been on fb or Twitter. Everything I’ve ever heard about them is alarming so I stay off. This is the only connection I have to the outside world. Yes, there seems to be less people on than there used to be.

I'm with you on that. I've never done either nor had a wish to do so. Seems like oversharing to me. And bragging. Anyway I've heard too much alarming stuff on both to be on either.

I wouldn't know about other forums either, like Reddit. Someone suggested I join but I don't like how they have a "thumbs down" button for peoples' comments. I don't have a thick enough skin for that kind of bs and don't think it's necessary.

They didn't seem as user friendly as this site either. My only beef with forums is that threads or discussions often "die out" quickly because people stop responding. Yet a similar thread might still be going. The redundancy drives me nuts at times so I come on here in moderation.

Originally Posted by lizardlady

This is the only "social media" I am involved with. Facebook etc. all have waaaaay too much drama on all of them

Same here. And the misinformation on there.

[Skeezyks]

The Skeezyks has never been on either FB or Twitter either. MSF is the only forum I'm active on. And I'm not even here that much anymore. I've tried joining a couple of other forums that were more focused on my particular areas of interest. But it seemed like they weren't that active; plus they were mostly frequented by members who had been on those forums for a long time and had come to know each other well. So, although the forums would say they really wanted new members, once a new member had been greeted, they were pretty-much ignored. (I have the impression there's a certain amount of that that goes on here on MSF as well.) About the only thing on the internet I really rely on, at this point, is the easy-listening music I listen to on YouTube every day. It's the one thing I would really miss if the whole internet went away.

[nonightowl]

Originally Posted by Skeezyks

The Skeezyks has never been on either FB or Twitter either. MSF is the only forum I'm active on. And I'm not even here that much anymore. I've tried joining a couple of other forums that were more focused on my particular areas of interest. But it seemed like they weren't that active; plus they were mostly frequented by members who had been on those forums for a long time and had come to know each other well. So, although the forums would say they really wanted new members, once a new member had been greeted, they were pretty-much ignored. (I have the impression there's a certain amount of that that goes on here on MSF as well.) About the only thing on the internet I really rely on, at this point, is the easy-listening music I listen to on YouTube every day. It's the one thing I would really miss if the whole internet went away.

I thought of joining forums that had subjects of interest to me too, but I didn't like the format. And since I don't normally get on a computer much (I'm on a laptop from the library at the moment), I'd have to use my phone and the battery isn't robust enough. I'm disappointed with how fast they DRAIN!

You're right about how sometimes new members get greeted but after that, other members go back to their cliques.

Only thing I'd miss if the Internet went away is this site and emails from certain people. It's also a good source of info, from credible sites of course. I'm old enough to remember encyclopedias as the place to go for information. No trolling, no disinformation, no bullying, etc.

[UnawareBS]

I have the thin skin.

[Violetta75]

For me Facebook is a highlight reel of peoples lives, I prefer this because people seem more honest, and its anonymous

[Brego]

I'm starting to like forums more. On Facebook, I only have 32 friends and there is hardly any drama for me to see. I want to start using my laptop more, and with that comes the desire to use forums. I know everyone likes their cell phones and tablets. To give an answer to the question - - I peruse Facebook every day and I'm getting into Instagram, Twitter, Nextdoor, The Mighty, YouTube, Spotify, and Pinterest. I like to use Facebook most of all. And I have a list of like 10 forums that I want to try to use. I sort of think it's up in the air. When I use Facebook, I hardly even use it for more than posting my selfies....It's like every other day or so that I post 4 or more selfies. And I think I wanna keep using it because my family is on there. And whoever else and I think if there were more people who wanted to be my friends I would like it more.


I'm going to have to go with social media as my answer. That's what I prefer.

[MuseumGhost]

I avoided Facebook for the longest time...until friends pretty much harangued me into joining. I can only go there when I'm feeling strong. Some days it irritates me a bit too much (the inherent bragging and posturing that goes on, the friends with 'perfect' lives, 'perfect' children, grandchildren, 'perfect' careers, and homes, etc.) --- and also there are now thousands of trolls there who are perfectly happy to ruin your day if you post something they object to. I am there maybe two days a week, now, checking in on any darlings that still go there, but that's about it.

Only a few of my trusted older friends know what I'm dealing with now, mentally and physically. There's no reason for me to try and explain it all to folks who are really just acquaintances, these days.

I find these forums to be the best place I've found to receive safe, anonymous, and steady support and compassion.

[InkyTinks]

I prefer the anonymity of forums especially for stuff like mental health.I wouldn't want my neighbours etc finding out all my private medical details etc ..it's none of their business!


I used to be on FB when it very first started but left after finding out I was no longer someone's 'bestie' anymore after we had been friends 22 years and I'd been told I was by her partner.


I didn't intend to leave at the time just for that reason but my (last) eldest dog died a few weeks later and her being my assistance dog was very much part of my identity and daily posts on there so I just stopped going on from depression I guess. I didn't feel I could be that persona anymore without her and my (human) best friend no longer considered me to be hers and I'd kinda only joined cos she had been nagging me to in the first place, so there seemed no point anymore. I just downloaded my favourite photo's then closed the account.

i prefer forums rather than facebook, i dont use twitter at all tbh

facebook i only go onto cause of the rescue I got Willow from, her previous human likes seeing how she's doing

forums i feel safer on

[Anonymous37919]

Provided there are moderators around, forums should be safe. It really depends who is running them.

Originally Posted by Peter A

Provided there are moderators around, forums should be safe. It really depends who is running them.

this is true

I'll never use anything like FB, don't feel the need for it

[Werewoman]

I'm on the same page as @lizardlady...

Too much drama on social media. I've never been on any of them. I think I signed up for Instagram and Pinterest a long time ago. Do they count?

I love this forum. I don't feel like such a freak when I see other people struggling too. It also makes me feel good all around when someone posts their accomplishments. It makes me appreciate mine.

[AzulOscuro]

Originally Posted by Nammu

I don’t know that my opinion is very informed because I’ve never been on fb or Twitter. Everything I’ve ever heard about them is alarming so I stay off. This is the only connection I have to the outside world. Yes, there seems to be less people on than there used to be.

The same here

[OafFish]

I used to have Facebook bit I don't know what it was for. I ended up deleting it because it don't seem like it was for me