Facebook can work

Posted on by Inara Pey

Mention Facebook around SL, and people – including me – invariably growl, get annoyed, jump up and down and / or generally blow a blue one.

However, as I’ve also pointed out in difference to others, FB can actually have a place in life where SL is concerned, and (despite the negative feedback he’s received) Hamlet over on NWN has made this somewhat clear (albeit via LL’s own statistics numbers).

It would appear that many SL users do in fact user FB to promote the places they like / spend time in within SL. Given the nature of some of the sims in this “top seven” list, it is hard to imagine the likes have been generated by non-SL users, because several of them are character-driven roleplay sims (including the no 1 spot occupying City of Lost Angels) – so it is far more likely that SL users with FB accounts are showing their approval.

The FB Likes also appear to be driving up traffic to the sims as well – although some of this could easily be anecdotal / coincidental. However, what would appear to be clear is that FB does provide a means for SL users to link-up and many SL users have no issue with using the service.

Which is why I have no major issues – despite concerns expressed by others – other FB buttons appearing in the web Profiles; as long as people are aware of the issues, why not? It gives a means of sharing – and not everyone (as I’ve repeatedly said, clacking on like a train over points) there are those who don’t mind the links between SL and RL being made.

Of course, none of this points to FB users actually crossing the bridge into SL, as perhaps LL would like to make out / hope for / have – but this is really besides the point inasmuch as what we’re seeing is FB being a useful means of communication for and between SL users.

FB also offers an exceptionally flexible way of reaching a broad audience when it comes to events. How much easier it is to post a notice in FB than it is to get the word out in SL. Of course, this doesn’t mean that people should be made to use FB to get the word out more effectively. Rather, LL should be looking to provide us with such tools as to do the same within Second Life.

Another interesting point Hamlet makes is about the misconception that FB are going around deleting avatar accounts (and by extension, “forcing” people to use RL information). As Hamlet states:

Facebook doesn’t have a policy of deleting avatar accounts. It has a policy of deleting fake accounts reported by other users, and filtering obviously fake accounts. Very big distinction.

So….I’m not a Facebook fan. I won’t use it. I don’t like LL blatantly pushing us into using it for their own ends, as I’ve stated. But, on the flipside, I still have no issue in allowing people to use FB to promote their second lives and activities within SL if they choose to do so.

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Published by Inara Pey

Eclectic virtual world blogger with a focus on Second Life, VR, virtual environments and technology.

10 thoughts on “Facebook can work”

    1. The headline is from 2009. Are FB pursuing things as vigorously now? It’s almost two years since Hamlet posted that blog and gave his statement in response to a comment on his most recent post – nigh on two years. That’s a lifetime in politics – and in cyberspace!

      *IF* FB are, after all, targeting avatar-related accounts (among others), then that is certainly a shame. As Hamlet says, the concerns might be genuine vis-a-vis fraud, but the approach is wrong-handed (and personally, another reason I won’t use them – not because I have anything to hide, but because I find their stance objectionable).

      But….this doesn’t change the fact that there are people using both SL and FB, who are either a) comfortable with having their RL and SL identities linked or b) are linking (to “likes” or somesuch) in such a way that does not directly associate their RL identities with their avatars, and are happy to do so. And I still fail to see anything “wrong” with this. It is , after all, their choice.

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  2. Facebook kicked off Kate Middleton this week, in an epic faux pas, no not that Kate Middleton, their policy hasn’t changed on accounts not using real names, to such an extent it removes people whose real names conflict with more famous folk.

    Targetting accounts, no, responding to reports, yes.

    As I said, Facebook can extend reach and those comfortable with Facebook’s TOS are happily extending reach, but Facebook does not welcome Second Life avatar accounts and until it does, we’re going to have conflict.

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    1. Targetting account is a fair point, then. I admit to not being close enough to matters not to have all the details – other than I have several friends who still have “Avatar accounts” on FB. Perhaps the targetting comes down to the name: “Imnotgoing Home” is perhaps obvious, and liable to be hit, whereas “Jennifer Pey” is obscure enough to (currently) escape the wrath.

      Conflict will certainly exist…but if we want to play in FB’s playpen, then we should play by their rules, as we should do in SL. All that should not be happening is SL users having FB constantly foisted on them for spurious benefits in order for LL to raise their own visibility / relevance in a misguide belief that it will draw in users.

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  3. The tweet (from Suella Ember) that sent me here said “Nice, balanced blog post about SL & Facebook. I agree with Inara – won’t use Fb myself, but it’s mostly a non issue” — and I concur. I won’t touch that data-scraping monster with the proverbial 10-meter prim, but if others so choose, let them. “As ye sow…”

    I’ve successfully trained myself to ignore whenever the Lab pushes it, and I stopped reading Hamlet months ago, so… no worries.

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    1. Thanks from me to Suella. The next round of cheese is on me: think she’ll like it as a I a superb deli in the next village over where they get the most amazing cheeses from across the UK and Europe!

      I tned to ignore both sides when they push too hard (LL and the “FB is the Devil!” crowd in SL), but that said, I had to reply directly to the disingenuous manner of their own posts following the most recent announcement.

      Now for a little Brie with dry Hovis crackers….

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      1. While you two are busy arguing, I’ve already got my secret bunker ready and am currently stroking a cat as I plan the final phase of ‘Operation Cheddar’. If all goes to plan, world currencies will be replaced with cheese soon!

        On a serious note though, despite me sometimes getting into a little bit of a huff with Ciaran, I actually think we are all pretty much on the same level. Don’t particularly like or want to use Facebook ourselves. Don’t want LL sending people *too* Facebook. But are quite happy for them to use Facebook as a means promote and extend the reach of SL.

        The biggest mistake LL made on this front was in sending people to Facebook only for that Spring thing! Use Fb as one of a number of ways to enter or apply for something by all means, but it shouldln’t be the *only* way to enter / apply.

        That said, the amount of vitriol shown over the supposed ‘privacy and security’ issues of having the like buttons on web profiles made me despair. It’s a non issue. I hope a million people ‘Like’ my SL profile on Facebook – it’s good advertising for me and for SL. There are no privacy concerns because I’m not so foolish as to give away any private info on my profile .

        And to the people saying you don’t want your SL and Facebook profiles linked – then … ummm … don’t link them 😀 Only you can do that. All anyone else can do is Like your profile which reveals nothing – unless you have, for example, named you SL account and Facebook account exactly the same (which is as good as linking them anyway!) The important thing is for people to just apply common sense in how they protect themselves on the internet (which, admittedly, seems lacking given how many people are happy to spout private info on Facebook!)

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        1. Suella, I’m sorry… you (and Ciaran and I) have lost out already. Cats already *have* world domination. They just fool us into believing otherwise. Look into the eyes of the cat you’re stroking and see if I’m not right…. 🙂

          As to Facebook, we’re really all on the same page – but like all pundits, showing up and disagreeing with each other on one another’s blogs is a good way to drive up figures (hey, if we did that in-world and called it an event and attracted an audience, would that could as “gaming” things? 🙂 ).

          I’m with you on the vitriol / non-issue – and appreciated your flogrum comments to that degree as well.

          As to cheese: be warned my cat is a confirmed Cheddar-lover.

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