Social Media War: MeWe versus Facebook

MeWe has taken on the humongous Facebook social media star. A few of my fb friends and I have joined it. Some of us joined just out of curiosity and to make sure we hadn't been left out of a new adventure. While others posted very dramatic announcements on Facebook that MeWe was the place to be and they were finished with Facebook. We got reports of the better graphics when posting messages. 

MeWe vs Facebook

Those who really want to leave Facebook in principle are legitimately angry about being put in "Facebook jail" for voicing their opinions. The hypersensitive algorithms which "police" what's written on Facebook and also "direct traffic" to and from what members write. They also keep trying to make us spend money. That is legitimate, since Facebook is free. But it's the political policing which is dangerous. There is a very definite Leftist and anti-Israel slant.

Some of my friends have a few Facebook identities so when one is jailed they can post on another name.

When I use Facebook, which is multiple times each day, except for Shabbat of course, I am just thankful that it is a free service. I use Facebook for two very different reasons, both of equal importance.

First, I joined Facebook to promote my blogs. And I must admit that fb exposure has certainly helped some of the posts, not just political ones. My Pishers' Guide to Jerusalem series and some restaurant reviews would never have gotten such exposure and "hits" without Facebook. My political posts on Shiloh Musings are harder to promote, because the algorithms on google search are skewed just as Leftwards or worse.

Second, I joined Facebook to keep in contact with family and friends. I'm 1000% grateful for this aspect of Facebook, because I'm now in touch with a slew of relatives I wouldn't know at all without it. Besides all the distant cousins, I've made a lot of friends, some whom I even get to see f2f, meaning in person.

Now it seems that most are tired of MeWe, apparently, because the latest from them on Facebook is that they are back. It's like setting up for a big party, inviting lots of friends and then sitting all alone. Yes, that's the big problem with MeWe; it's small. It doesn't matter how attractive the graphics, it doesn't have the reach, the massive numbers of Facebook or Twitter, of which I'm a member but hardly use it. I also have an Instagram account, which is for pictures which simultaneously can be posted on Facebook and Twitter.

My guess is that MeWe will fade out like some other social media sites have. There was one a few years ago, forgot the name, in which I was "friends" with Kirk Douglas and we chatted.

What do you think?

New Graphics on "Layout"

This morning when I finally got out for a morning walk, better late than never even if shorter than I need... I took a few pictures. I decided to let the "Layout" app on my phone turn them into a collage.

It seems that the app had updated automatically, and the page was a bissel different from before. That's a good way to "delay dementia," since it means getting used to something new. And the bonus is that there are more and nicer graphics and choices. This is what I put out on Instagram, twitter and facebook:

What do you think?

Why Blog? It's an International Community!

With the advent of other forms of magical communication such as facebook, twitter, skyping etc., people have been predicting the end of blogging.  Blogging is more than sending a line or two into the magic, mysterious cyber world via Wi-Fi, cellphone waves etc.

Many of us bloggers are either actual writers, photographers, journalists, public relations aka social media experts or wannabes of one or more of the above.  And there are your "just ordinary people" with a story to tell, a writing talent and people saying:

"You should start a blog."

Some blogs really take off and become popular, even money-making, and others just schlepp along with a small group of followers who manage to catch the blogger at just the moment he/she thinks it's time to quit with a:

"I love your blog.  It really speaks to me. Please don't stop."

How do they know that we continue blogging just to hear/read that?  Many of us have become "friends," community over the years, even if we've never met f2f face to face.  And there are those we actually know in real life and discover more from their blogs.  I have a combination of that on my "blog rolls," the list of blogs on the sidebar of my two blogs, this one and Shiloh Musings.

Many of us blog a combination of personal and political, whatever is on our minds and new in our lives.

Paula blogged of a death in her family, A Woman of Courage and Strength.  HaMakom yenachem, may G-d comfort....
Seraphic Secret gets a mazaltov on the birth of a grandson.

Mazaltov and refuah shleimah to Geuliyah on the birth of her twins,

מיה אמונה בת גאוליה שומרונה
זהר אושר אביה בת גאוליה שומרונה

Our latest news is the marriage of our son.

Jennifer has been keeping us informed of her aliyah adventures, Skyping! from their temporary abode in a mercaz klita in northern Israel.

Blogging isn't dead. That's one of the reasons all sorts of mainstream press has added blogs on its internet sites.  I've had blogging rights on a few internet newspapers.  Of late, I can be found on the Jewish Press blog section.  They choose the posts from my blogs.  I stopped blogging on a different paper, because they demanded only original material written for their site.  And considering that they certainly didn't pay me anything, it reeked of chutzpah to make demands.

I like the independence of blogging what I want.  My blogs are my own newspapers.  I decide what's "fit to print."  I hope you enjoy reading my blogs.  Please share the links and comment in the comments, thanks.

Facebook, Getting Used To It

When I first signed up with facebook, I was just being very pragmatic, willing to try almost anything to promote my blogs, especially Shiloh Musings, which is my very humble contribution to the hasbara campaign to promote and defend Israel and Jewish Rights in our HolyLand.

I don't open my facebook page automatically as I turn on my computer.  Priority is checking emails.  But if I get a message from facebook that someone messaged or commented there, I sign in to respond.  Recently that's getting more frequent, and I comment on other people's stuff.  My youtube posts automatically on facebook.

Facebook is like a cross between email and blogging. I like it much better than twitter.  My blog posts automatically go up on twitter, but I don't actively twitter.  On occasion I chat on email or facebook.

Last night my father asked some very intelligent questions about what we do on the computer, since he sees both me and my husband tapping away on the keys so too many hours of the day.

PS I'm very easy to find on facebook.  Just search my name.  I think I put the links to my account on my blogs' sidebars, too.

I Did It!

I joined facebook. I wrote a simple profile, made a business card, found two "friends," whom I am acquainted with in real life, and now I'm waiting for it to "take off."

From what I finally understood at that Tachlis event, was that I had to keep updating my internet connections/venues or whatever they're called.

My priority/goal is to find a way to have my facebook show my blogs updated with each posting, and I guess to put some facebook badge on my sidebar. I have to join the right "groups."

So, all I can say is:

HELP!

PS Twitter will come later; it just seemed too... obsessive, when I don't want something so "frequent."