Facebook. Say the word, and many of us recoil as if we discovered a vampire in our livingroom. For many people, Facebook brings visions of floods of requests from total strangers who want to be “friends” with us for unknown (unhealthy?) reasons; violations of our privacy; and sneaky new policies that may be imposed on us by Facebook without our knowledge. Is there any validity to these concerns? Yes. There is a slight risk that all of these things could happen.
So, if there is any risk of problems, why is the American Red Cross asking all members to join local and national Facebook groups? Why does Escapees RV Club want us to join their Facebook group? Why are we asking that all DOVES join our Facebook group, DOVE BOF? Because the benefits far outweigh the risks. Simply stated, Facebook is the new party-line telephone. In the same way that Americans who would not use the “new” gadget called the telephone back in the early 1900’s because of the risks involved lost out on a key communication tool, those who avoid Facebook now lose out on the major group-communication tool of our time. We hope something better will come down the line soon. But until it does, Facebook is our best group-communication option. Personally, I hate it. I use it anyway.
There are ways to minimize the risks. We can: 1) enroll in Facebook and set up our account so that we receive NO notifications, (therefore NO emails), and so that we initiate all “friend” requests; 2) set our privacy settings at the maximum; 3) join only the DOVE BOF group; 4) check the online posts on DOVE BOF at our convenience; and 5) post only messages and photos that we want to be seen by DOVES. Remember: Facebook is a like a telephone party line. Because we don’t know everyone who is listening in any particular time, we only post general information that we approve for review by anyone on the party line.
By taking these steps, we can have primary control over what happens with our account. Can Facebook still try to sneak something over on us? Yes. In fact, recently they did just that. The good news? Many Facebook subscribers are suspicious, wary, and they monitor Facebook religiously. They blow the whistle when Facebook tries to do something unfair, as they did recently. And we, the people, respond by screaming so loudly that Facebook is compelled to eat crow, reverse their new policy, and do the right thing again. There is still power in numbers.
What are DOVES missing by not being part of DOVE BOF on Facebook? They don’t hear the excitement of our members as they share news of their impending deployment. They don’t see the dramatic photos our members post and can’t share their adventures. When the new schedule of classes is posted for a rally, they don’t see it immediately. Nor can they respond to questions by new DOVES about what to expect during deployment, or tell others about workshops that are being presented by Red Cross chapters they encounter during their travels. And they can’t offer support to other DOVES who are giving so much and demonstrating the highest human values, or inspire others by sharing their own stories. We want and need each DOVE to be part of our party line.
My hope is that every DOVE will subscribe to our DOVE BOF Facebook group (it is a closed group, so DOVES must request membership) for three months and see if it is worth their time and effort. Facebook membership can always be cancelled if the experiment doesn’t work out. The other possibility is that DOVE BOF on Facebook will become a favorite site and will be a source of great information, support, and camaraderie. See those photos? Hear the laughter on our DOVE BOF Facebook page? It’s the new group-communication party line. Tune in and see what happens.
Anita Laffey, DOVE President