Facebook Users Beware

A lot of changes have happened since my last post which I'll leave for another day, but this post has been building for a couple of months, and I've been itching to say it. It has been over a year since I've posted to my blog, but there are some posts worth ending my hiatus (though this one has been in my notebook waiting for two days as I debated whether I should publish it).


Facebook users, beware. Facebook is exploiting you for their own advertising and promotions when you may not even be aware of it. Your online reputation may be at stake.  I may lose friends over this, or people may sneer and tell me to get the proverbial stick out of my own eye. But you need to be aware of what information Facebook is revealing about you, and what you can do to stop it.

I admit it. I am in a love/hate relationship with Facebook. I love how I can read news stories and ignore a nightly newscast. I love keeping in touch with friends and family and seeing pictures from their children and families. On the other hand, I have learned some things about people I wish I hadn't seen, and as a result, I have learned to hide or unfriend people who are vitriolic in their spews and rants of hatred and complaining.

Lately, however, my eyebrows have raised over even more people, and it's through no fault of their own--whom Facebook has placed in a questionable light. It's all because of their online viewing activity which Facebook publishes (along with items people don't intend to publish). I admit it's also because of my all too often dour judgmental attitude, but there are some statuses, pictures, activities, articles, and videos people view online in which I'd rather not know friends held an interest.  


I know, sometimes curiosity gets the better of you, and you are tempted to click on a link. Unless you are okay with your social media world knowing your every move, be careful what links you click on inside your Facebook news feed. Google what news you see, and click on that link OUTSIDE of your Facebook feed.


If you read my rant about "liking" things in Facebook, you realize some people may think you condone foul language of a questionable poster or the content by liking a status or picture. A friend of mine once "shared" a photo from a person/page which had bad language (not in the photo, but in "who" posted the photo).  This was displayed at the bottom of the funny picture, and as a result, it showed up on my friend's timeline--picture, foul language, and all. I am sure she didn't know the language would show up on her feed, if she even saw the words herself. But I know this friend would NOT have shared or liked said photo if she had known the foul language at the bottom would be displayed on her behalf.

Not clicking the "Like" (or it’s big brother “Share”) button used to keep you out of trouble on Facebook. But now, you don't have to "Like" something for the world to see you viewed something. One of the biggest culprits to such exposing activity of late is the app/website "Socialcam." I get multiple messages daily showing how people have watched videos on Socialcam, and quite frankly, some of those videos I'd be ashamed to admit I'd ever seen based on the caption and image shown on the news feed. I refuse to add such an app to my Facebook account, so if there ever is a decent video Socialcam has available, I search for the title on Google and watch it elsewhere.

Another tricky area on Facebook is the newest "Trending Articles" feature. I really don't want to know if you are interested enough to read about Kim Kardashian, Miley Cyrus, or Jessica Simpson... or any other celebrity fodder or outlandish or cruel news story on the Internet. If you click on those articles on Facebook, then be prepared for Facebook to throw you under the bus and tell your social world you've read it. No, it doesn’t label you as a fan or freak, but it may reveal how you value your time. Washington Post and Yahoo News both post what stories you've read on their websites now if you happen to click on those articles through Facebook. A Google search will get the same articles, but without you displaying those activities to Facebook.

I certainly don't intend to come across as though I am self-righteous or holier than thou. Come on over to my house and you will see I'm far from perfect (or even good) as a homemaker or mom, and I'm no perfect Christian (no one is). I’ve made my own Facebook gaffes, and I'm sure I'll make some more in the future. The key is, be cafeful. In a world where professional careers can so often teeter on the activities displayed with one’s online presence, and more importantly, what one’s activity may say about personal life and faith, why submerse to the baseness of some of the petty displays online which Facebook has become so good at promoting? The image we display online is as important now as what we display in person. Displaying a poor image online may be a deciding factor in some real life activity later on, whether it's from what you read/view, or what you display of yourself (i.e., an over-the-top party girl/guy image may cause someone to lose a potential job offer).  A poor image online may be the equivalent of a punked-out, overly tattooed and pierced rock star wannabe trying to get a job as the CEO of a Fortune 500 company.  


Appearance DOES still mean something, whether you are trying to get a job (outside of a night club) or whether you are trying to show the world the love of Jesus through ourselves.

I know appearances should not matter. We’ve all been bombarded with the saying “It’s what’s on the inside that counts.” But why give anyone the opportunity to even think anything other than the image we’d like to project of ourselves? We allow our outward appearance--whether it is our personal appearance or our online persona--certain liberties we have chosen for ourselves, and like it or not, it gives other people an impression of us. Don't let Facebook give any wrong impression of you.

There are so many ideas and promotions which are better to advertise online.  Encouraging quotes, and Biblical teaching are two which come to mind. Take a look at what my friend Toni Birdsong and her friend Tami are doing over at @stickyJesus. They have great tips about evangelizing online. They have even co-authored a book about the subject. What better way to use social media than to spread the Good News?


So how do you solve the "Big Brother" eye of Facebook from following your every move? If you value your privacy online, perhaps this post (and comments) by the folks over at Lifehacker can give you some idea of how to stop Facebook from following your every move. I read this morning Twitter is now falling into the same practice as Facebook. The easiest way is to stop using as many Facebook social apps as possible (at least the ones you don't want posting on your behalf). I still have three I use regularly, but I revoke those apps posting for me without my actively sharing any activity with them.


As my husband (who looks for an easy fix) would say, maybe I should shun Facebook entirely. Yes, I've been known to take a hiatus and hang out primarily on Twitter for my social networking fix. Some good things come from Facebook, though, which I can't ignore, and it does have its place on the Internet. We should make sure we allow Facebook to reveal what is good and true about ourselves, and not allow it to brand us in a negative way.


Be vigilant, my friends. Facebook will not get any better. It was offered in an IPO on the NASDAQ today, which means now a board of directors and shareholders will expect profits, which means more advertising and more exposure, meaning more exploitation of its users. The next time you click on an item on Facebook, whether it’s a “Like” or a link, make sure Facebook will promote the image YOU want.

UPDATE (6/12/12):  Today I was searching on how to remove Socialcam posts from other friends' activity showing up on your timeline? This very helpful article shows you how to block any posts by other apps on your Facebook feed. Note, it must be done on a laptop or desktop. I checked my iPhone app, and the ability to manage which apps are blocked is not possible with the mobile app. Now I finally don't have to think less of anyone be exposed to other friend's weird curiosities.


As always concerning Facebook, be on your guard:  Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Facebook, is quoted in this CNN article as saying, "Imagine a world where we share everything--what we eat, what we read, how far we run, and what music we listen to." There are apps that already do all of these things.  Keep this question in mind before using such apps:  How much do you want the rest of the world to know about your entire life?

I still stand by my original resolve. Run from Socialcam. This article from The Washington Post underlines the real truth of the matter. Monica Hesse reminds us of the "garbage in, garbage out" idea, and that these apps expose to the world what you thought you were doing in private. That does allow for some self-reflection. Even if you are able to hide any articles or videos you read from the rest of the Facebook world, remember that there is One who knows. Keep Jesus as your center of focus, and the evils of this world seem less tempting.

Are there chinks in your armor?

Paul is one of my favorite biblical characters. His life and writings show us how we are to handle trials through our daily Christian walk. I particularly love the book of Ephesians.

I’m very thankful that we are in such a wonderful Sunday school class at our church. We have teachers who work diligently every week to help us think about our daily walk with God.

This week our lesson was focused on Ephesians 6. I know homeschoolers love to use this passage on the armor of God as a unit study for Bible lessons at home. It’s a great lesson for all ages.

I won't go into each part of the armor described in the passage. I'll leave that for those who feel moved to further study, but today, we need to make sure our armor is in tact, and that we didn't forget any of the pieces. Having lived in the Bible belt most of my life, I know that Christians are sometimes guilty of “grading” our sins. Maybe it’s Dante’s fault that our theology is less introspective. We’ve all been guilty (including myself) of pointing fingers at other people’s mistakes. Most Christians understand that errancy, and we remember that when we point a finger elsewhere, it leaves three more pointing back at ourselves.

As we put on the armor of God, we are guarding ourselves from attacks in the spiritual world. If we forget to put on one portion of our armor, we expose a weakness elsewhere. Sure, most of us aren’t guilty of murder, but failing to guard against our weaknesses easily exposes the chinks in our armor to Satan. We may be great at not lying, but our tendency to gossip or lose our temper may be our downfall. Pride is a big one.

As Christians we remember, “We aren’t perfect, but we’re forgiven.” God’s grace provides us that comfort. And in studying the traits we need to have in Ephesians 6, we can make sure that we are properly guarded so that we don’t ignore our own faults.

Are there chinks in your armor? Any areas in your life where you are especially vulnerable to sin?  I encourage you to read Ephesians 6:10-17, and may you be fully protected from outside attacks.

Fabulous Fall

The NOLA area has been beautiful this week, and I have enjoyed opening my windows since we got home from vacation.  Since the house was closed up for almost 10 days, it really needed airing out.  Even though the lizards and geckos are not as visible, I am enjoying the cooler weather.

Fall in New Orleans also generally means an end to hurricane season. Ok, I know there are 6 more weeks, but the chances are really going down.  I have watched the National Hurricane Center website almost obsessively since June 1.  When I say obsessed, I mean that I have a bookmark saved on my laptop browser and my PDA, I'm friends with my favorite weatherman on Facebook, and I have been known to check the site as it is updated 4 times a day (at 1 a.m., 7 a.m., 1 p.m., and 8 p.m. Central Time). Yes, if I happened to wake up in the middle of the night, I've checked then, too. I am thankful to be gaining that part of my sanity back a whopping half of a year.

According to all the weathermen here, New Orleans is having an unseasonably cool start to fall.  Last winter was one of the coldest on record.  But on the flipside, this summer in Louisiana was miserably hot (I don’t think there are many summers here that aren’t).  Our A/C unit failing during one of the hottest weeks this summer made it even more sweltering.

Fall makes me very nostalgic, thinking of times spent back home in Tennessee.  I miss seeing the colors of the changing leaves on the maples, Bradford pears, and other deciduous trees.  Louisiana doesn’t have enough changing leaves for my taste.  

Fall in Tennessee is also a time when my seasonal allergies calm down. It’s dry, crisp, and cool in the mornings, and just warm enough not to freeze during the day.  I miss the crunching sound of the dried leaves under my feet. Sitting by the fireplace with the smell of spiced cider and seasoned wood burning where you can roast marshmallows for s’mores is a great way to spend an evening,

When people in Louisiana think of Tennessee, they often think of fall and the glorious colors in the Smoky Mountains.  The paint-splattered trees set on a rolling hillside is a stark contrast to the flat wetlands of Louisiana. East Tennessee is one of my favorite places to witness God’s creation, and fall reminds me that spring will begin life anew. 

What are your favorite memories and traditions of fall?

Christians Illuminating the Social Media

(Preface: I have been on an extended hiatus from my blog. I am going to try to do better, and hopefully have some direction in my ramblings in this and future posts.)

One of my favorite passages in the Bible is Ephesians 4:17-5:20 (NIV).  This is a long passage, so it takes a while to read, but there is such good advice there for Christians today, that I refrain from skipping any part of it (my additional thoughts follow).

Living as Children of Light

^17-19So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.

^20-24You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

^25-28Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

^29-32Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Ephesians 5

^1-2Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

^3-7But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.

^8-14For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:

   "Wake up, O sleeper,

      rise from the dead,

   and Christ will shine on you."

^15-20Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Your Online Reputation Can Spread Quickly

As Christians, we should not only watch our walk in our day to day physical activities, but we should also be mindful of our online activities (and that includes staying away from the obvious sites which promote pornography or gambling).  It's not just about what media or messages we allow to be transmitted to our screens, but also what we messages we send out online in our language and activities.  As Christians, are we "living as children of light" online at our favorite social network hangouts? We need to remember that our status updates are read by potentially more people online than in our personal, physical lives.

Foul Language on Facebook

I am disappointed by what some people have the nerve to post on certain social networking sites, especially Facebook. The amount of profanity that pervades the vocabulary of some people is disheartening. I am certain that these offenders are more verbose than they are demonstrating. If a friend on Facebook consistently uses foul language, I have no apprehension in using the "Hide" function. 

The Ever-present "Like" button

Crass language even seeps into the many “like” applications that Facebook allows on its site. Here's my rule of thumb for "like" links: If I wouldn't want my children to read it, then I don't click it (not even if I agree with the general idea). If I click on a “like” with profanity in it, I may as well be condoning the statement, and I don't want the foul language showing up next to my name in someone's feed.

Taking it a step further, I try to refrain from clicking "like" on anything besides a person or business of some kind, though, so please don't judge me if I don't click "like" on a link saying that I love Jesus or any member of my family. Those statements go without telling the world, and I don't want to allow those dozens of generic applications to email me through Facebook.  The notification emails from these applications do nothing but take my time away from those whom I love, negating the purpose of clicking links that say, "I like the statement that I love my husband/daughter/son/mom/Jesus." (Just how many weeks in a row can it be "Daughter Week?")

As part of my effort to simplify all things around me, I have also blocked most games on Facebook, because I discovered how much time I could have been putting to better use.  My news feed is streamlined, revealing the more important items that people share (news, websites and tools). Even with all my efforts to hide and clean my Facebook feed, it is still not as clean as Twitter, due to the new game applications that come out each week on Facebook.

A New Appreciation for Twitter
I'm not knocking Facebook, but I find that with Twitter, I actually learn something. The resources I have discovered on Twitter would have taken me twice as long to find on Facebook.  External links on Twitter can be opened more easily with my mobile device, and I find people to follow in areas that interest me.  This blog post by Terry Whalin (whom I follow on Twitter) explains other benefits of using Twitter.  You can also read an interesting debate on using Twitter vs. Facebook which reflects some of my own thoughts.


After saying all this, I am not leaving Facebook. I sometimes have to click through a few pages in my news feed to see if there is anything important I may have missed in the last day. I limit my time more on Facebook now.  I try to check my page for a few short minutes a day, checking on pages of close friends and family and those who are on my prayer list. 


I welcome your comments. Have you found Twitter more satisfying, or have you yet to explore it? You can even follow my tweets!

I Need Proclaim My Appreciation

In spite of my unfortunate sneezing today (just what is blooming right now besides mums?), I have found some things for which I am especially happy on this eve.  I'll start with the easy ones, but will conclude with some odd ones.

First, the "givens."
1.  The Lord and His grace
2.  The health and love of our family
3.  The fortune that God has given our family a way to pay the bills we have, and has provided our basic needs.
4.  Friends who make me smile

And now, for the non-traditional ones.
5.  Caffeinated drinks - cokes, coffee, and good Southern sweet tea (they help me keep some "me" time when the kids are all in bed)
6.  Flea drops for my pets (provides physical relief for the dog, and comic relief for us from the cat)
7.  The new sound-maker that my aunt gave Lucas (it's addictive and peaceful all at the same time)
8.  Rectal thermometers (any parent who's had a constipated baby can appreciate this)
9.  Gold Bond medicated powder (it's kept me from taking Oscar to the vet for a $70+ shot)
10.  Cheaper gas
11.  Cooler temperatures on the way

I know there are many, many more ways I can count my blessings.  It's helpful to remind myself that in spite of our troubles, God tends to show us silver linings.