Warning: contains recycled material.
Every day I look at Facebook and every day I will see a link to a crime that has taken place. I’ll probably see a link to a missing person, too, or a missing dog. Okay, fair enough; I suppose I should not be critical of people trying to do ‘the right thing’ but, seriously, how likely is it that these posts will have any effect at all?
One thing about Facebook is that it is not here today, gone tomorrow. It’s more like here now, gone when you refresh the screen. I have a quick look at a photo of some devious pervert who is wanted by the police, often hundreds of miles away, and the next minute I am being asked to share a generic comment about supporting a generic someone who has cancer (99% of people won’t share this but I know my real friends will’) or a bogus ‘like farming’ link to a non existent free holiday. It’s basically space-filling fluff.
I confess that I do know a good few scallies but very few mass murderers or thieves who steal from charity tins, so I can confidently say that these messages are completely irrelevant to me. And anyway, what does it say about the way my Facebook friends think of me when they ask if I have seen some ghastly criminal?
I appreciate that Facebook, like most social networks, exists for people, like me, who sometimes have too much time on their hands, as well as those who want to show off about how great their lives are and, occasionally, to flood the internet with narcissistic selfies. Put simply, Facebook isn’t real. (I have a vested interest in selfies because when photographed I appear to have Bells Palsy whilst doing an Elvis Presley impersonation, so I never take any. The disturbing thing about selfies is that many people don’t seem to realise they don’t look any better than I do!)
The argument people will doubtless use is that if sharing a picture means just one person is brought before the beak, all that sharing will be worthwhile. Wrong. Why not do something useful instead?
If people are worried about crime, then join or form a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme. If missing pets is your bag, take out a subscription to an animal charity or even adopt a pet. Sharing a generic post about curing cancer will probably less effective than taking out a standing order to Cancer Research. And rather than fume about, say, homeless ex service personnel, why not bombard your local MP and actively get involved with one of the numerous organisations that exist to end the scourge of homelessness.
I know its easier to simply share someone else’s Facebook post, but wouldn’t it be a better use of time and effort to actually do something?
