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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2009
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6

Facebook Refuseniks Still Sorta Use It

They object in principle but end up using it by proxy

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(Newser) – The Washington Post today profiles an increasingly rare breed: people in their 20s and 30s who don't use Facebook or other such sites. And though the “refuseniks” interviewed have different rationales—privacy, “morals and beliefs,” being “old-school in the personal touch way,” many share something in common that speaks to the pervasiveness of social networking: They use Facebook by proxy.

“All my friends from high school have also met my wife, and they're friends with her; my wife 'friended' them or whatever it's called,” one non-user says. His wife has a word for that: “I am his Facebook secretary.” And at least one holdout, in the habit of having linked-in buddies send his ex-girlfriend messages, knows his position is untenable. “Eventually I'm going to have to do it,” he says. “It will make stuff much smoother.”

Micheal Nourie, 20, plays guitar and sings in his dorm room at Emerson College. He likes his breaks from social networking over the summers.
Micheal Nourie, 20, plays guitar and sings in his dorm room at Emerson College. He likes his breaks from social networking over the summers.   (AP Photo)
A Facebook user.
A Facebook user.   (AP Photo)
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I told my friend to write her a message for me, saying, "Ricardo is right here and he said hi." But Facebook is funny because they've got this thing called a "wall," and she deals with a lot of guys on the site. She says she's single...
- A non-user displays Facebook knowledge

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6 comments
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BeatBlaster
Oct 15, 09 2:22 PM CDT
I sure as hell don't use Facebook by proxy. I just don't use it and the people I do know who use it are respectful enough to save me from the "img it's so cool" speech. Reply
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westonism
Oct 15, 09 3:17 PM CDT
These people have way too much free time. Who gives a damn how I communicate with my friends and family? I live on an island in Alaska, and my choices are a little limited. I think that there is just a segment of the population that does nothing but bitch at what the rest of us are doing. I'm sorry you didn't get picked first for capture the flag when you were in grade school, but it's getting old. Reply
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Gooner82
Oct 15, 09 4:28 PM CDT
agreed, nobody is going to think you are that much cooler because you waited that much longer to sign-up. ridiculous.
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Spudsy
Oct 15, 09 8:04 PM CDT
My friends think I am way hip and cool for commenting on Newser. Oh wait, no they don't. They tell me I should be a greeter at Walmart and make some money if I am so damned lonely.
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DarkFrancis
Oct 15, 09 3:53 PM CDT
I wish I didn't use it as it's clumsy and awkward, but it's become the default networking tool for my industry. Some folks have even made it their primary (or sole) source for plugging their stuff. Reply
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