Facebook social networking site's changing face

Facebook social networking website is launching some big changes but many of its users are not happy with these moves. Many regulars at the Facebook site would prefer it to stay as it was and do not welcome the new developments.

Facebook is making changes to how the profile pages display and function. Back in December of 2010 they announced these changes as optional but now it looks as if users are going to have the new profiles forced on them whether they want them or not.

I must admit that I am personally one of the regular Facebook users who would prefer the site to stay as it was. I fail to see how the 'improvements' are going to be to our advantage.

Last year, at one point Facebook had changed some profiles over to the new look without asking for the users' consent. I was one of many people who were horrified to find what had happened. I posted a loud complaint on my status and wall.

Complaints

Fortunately an hour or so later everything returned to normal and some of us who had posted public complaints were relieved. We naively thought that Facebook management and administrators had paid attention to what we had said, and had changed our sites back.

What I didn't like about the new profile is that the status bar at the top of your main page had gone. Personally, and I am not alone, I like to put what I am doing or thinking there because I know it will get seen. I know very well that most Internet users tend to read what is at the top of the screen and often miss what is lower down, concealed or in side menus. With the new profile the status at the top of the page is gone.

Top Friends

Another feature I like to use is being able to display my choice of 12 top friends. I like to do this because it allows me to find these friends easily and it enables me to give a bit of promotional publicity to those who want it, and in my opinion should be promoted. I also like to have my personal very best friends in this section although, of course, it is impossible to fit everyone I would like in.

When Facebook had caused my profile to be changed, besides no longer having a status section at the top of the screen but also the friends I wanted displayed had gone and random ones were showing instead. This was contrary to how I wanted my profile page.

As a performer and singer I like to display videos of my songs and performance and when Facebook made those changes back in December they all vanished too. It looked for a while as if they had gone totally from my site. If this had been the case then I would have been annoyed that I had wasted time uploading them to begin with.

But as I say my site was restored to its original state and I was satisfied and pleased Facebook had apparently listened. My good friend Carol Jayne Norman had a similar experience. She had been unhappy with the enforced changes and posted complaining on her wall, and like mine, her Facebook profile went back to normal. We really thought that Facebook must have been reading what we posted and had responded favourably.

Since then I have seen other friends moaning about how they had clicked on the option to try the new profile and found they didn't like it but were unable to find how to go back to the old style. Some of us got the idea that as long as we ignored the option button we would be OK but this was clearly wishful thinking.

Yesterday I had the depressing news displayed by Facebook saying:

"Coming Soon: Your New Profile

In the next few days you'll be upgraded to the new profile, which offers more ways to show and tell your story."

I object to this because I had made it clear I was happy with the old style of profile. I do not want my Facebook site upgraded and fail to see how in any way this can be an advantage to me.

I am concerned that Facebook is following the ways of Myspace that has gone, in many people's opinion, into a very sad decline that has caused many of us to abandon the site or hardly use it. Myspace was once my favourite social networking site. I made a lot of friends there, I enjoyed sharing my music, networking with others and the community spirit. Nowadays, after bringing in new upgrades and enforcing them on users, Myspace is a pale shadow of its former self. Myspace is full of spammy messages, is difficult to use, and many people have deleted their accounts because they have had enough.

I don't want my comments board and message boxes full of adverts for bands and singers, and worse! I want real communication between people who at least know a bit about you. Myspace is now only of any use to me for posting links to hubs and keeping in touch with a few friends who send me personal messages there.

It will be a very sad day if Facebook turns out like Myspace has done, a very sad day indeed!

Facebook, if you are reading this, please think again about this! You are about to upset a lot of users who were happy with things as they were. I am hoping and praying that Facebook does not follow suit!