Brighton lights – Voyeurism, social media style

Guy Lloyd on social media; it’s complicated

It was announced this week that the good people at facebook have decided against introducing a ‘dislike’ button. The main reason being, they didn’t want to encourage negativity. Ironic, really, when they invented the very platform for people to have a public moan about how late their bus is or how tired they are. Part of me was quite excited about the ‘dislike’ feature. I think it would have shaken things up a bit.

We love watching fights unfold on facebook, don’t we? It can take one misquote or turn of phrase and it all kicks off; we can sit from afar and watch the drama unfold, like a curtain twitching neighbour. I guess we (or maybe it’s just me) are getting a little fed up with facebook, but like the natural voyeurs we are, we’ll always come back to see what’s going on; which is nearly always very little.

That’s a lot of babies and cats to look at

I myself have an odd relationship with social media. I need facebook and twitter for my job. As far as facebook is concerned I accept all friendship, unless you have no profile photo or I’ve met you on the street and I have concerns about your mental health.

As a consequence, I have over 4,000 friends on facebook, and that’s a lot of babies and cats to look at every working day. However, since people rarely text or phone in to radio shows anymore (or maybe it’s just mine), facebook has become an invaluable tool to get listeners involved in content that I’m talking about, and a great way to gauge opinion from different walks of life.

Also, if you want to find the best nasal hair trimmer in town, people will give you really good recommendations. It can have extraordinary communal power at times. For instance, in the summer holidays my son goes up to visit his grandparents in Bolton for a week. This year he got quite homesick, and desperately wanted to come home. My wife and I were both tied to our jobs, so I put it out on facebook to see if anyone that may be in the area, at that particular time, who may, by coincidence, by heading to Brighton on that same day, could pick up our son and bring him home. A long shot I know, but it happened, and our boy was delivered safely the very next day. So facebook certainly has its uses.

I prefer twitter, personally. It’s just a lot more sexy and much more direct and concise. There’s less moaners on there and the content is generally more interesting. Also, if you like a good celebrity death, you’ll always be the first to find out.

Overall, I would say: dip in. Don’t let it run your life and don’t get too involved. Go and meet a mate in the pub instead, it’s much healthier.
Right, I’ve now got to put this on facebook and twitter. Please like, and retweet. (I hate myself.)

Follow me: @guy_lloyd