...and a possible mass murderer.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/...are-suspicious/



And this is the german site mentioned

http://www.tagesspiegel.de/weltspiegel/n.../6911648-2.html

ROTFL, except that Breivik used facebook a lot to keep in touch with like-minded people.

Slashdot need to brush up on their German (or cut back on the sensationalism), because that's exactly not what the "expert" quoted in the Tagesspiegel article said.

He basically said that use of the Internet has become an integral part of our daily lives, and that it's possible to receive positive feedback and emotions from virtual friends - as long as it's being used in moderation. As long as one also maintains contact with real people, and the use of social media doesn't become an addiction, all is fine. Otherwise, this could enhance already existing mental disorders.

A total absence from social media on the other hand does not automatically indicate psychological problems.

The article mentions though that in many companies, human resources managers want to see the applicant's footprint on the Internet.

Guess, Slashdot missread the article, the translation was quite bad or they needed a catchy headline because the article says something different.

But I confess, I'm a little bit scared of myself now , because I don't have an account on facebook, twitter et al. I do not write many emails or sms. I do not post often in a forum...

I feel somewhat guilty now , but I blame life, the universe and everthing. Way to busy with enjoying life with my better half and her sons, hiking with my dogs, having a beer now and then with my friends, reading, playing flightsims, guitars, enjoying a sunrise/-set or a fine dinner, and not at least my job to pay for all of this.

Awww, so I'm a potential weirdo just because I refuse to do a virtual strip on some "social network"? Poor HRM nancies. There's no way in hell that I'll create an account at Farcebook or any other such "services" simply because I have no need for them. If that makes me look suspicious then so be it.

Uh oh, add me to the list of extremist psychos then. I just disabled my Facebook a couple of days ago. But I guess I still spend too much time writing unpopular posts in forums. Can't be too suspicious then.

What a load of bollocks. I have a Facebook account, but certainly wouldn't label anyone a 'weirdo' or somehow 'anti-social' for not having one. Whats all that about? People can do as they please. I don't use Facebook much, and haven't downloaded a single one of their BS "apps" etc; but one thing I will say for it is that it put me back in touch with loads of old friends from all over the country, who I'd lost touch with and otherwise probably would never have seen again. Its just a means to an end for me, really.

A bunch of us are planning on a big reunion in Manchester soon (been postponed for now) and I'm really looking forward to it.......It would never have happened otherwise, so facebook is not all bad.

There is maybe only a 'problem' if things like that are peoples only real social lives. Or maybe not. Who is anyone to judge? Everybody is different. For me though, the real world is of course where its at. Cyber banter and rubbish is fun, I like it here for example because there are lots of very funny, intelligent and witty people.....with shared interests. They are also remarkably tolerant of some of the utter bollocks and rubbish I can come out with at times, some of which bewilders even me. That is 'win' all the way.

Geez imagine all the people from the pre-Facebook era.

"You don't have what they call "the social skills." That's why you never have any friends, 'cept fo' yo' mama. "

I'm on FB but I hardly use it. It's kind of insipid, or rather it encourages a kind of insipid, narcissistic over sharing of personal information. As if most anybody else cares about where you walked your dog, who you're voting for, etc. Plus it tends to be an echo chamber of default reinforcement, where people post opinions with the assumption that their like-minded friends will basically with "so true" "you go girl" etc.

Let me reiterate that "Slashdot" got the article they are quoting completely wrong.

They turned the tenor of the article completely on its head.

Mass Murde...errr... non-Facebook user here.

It doesn't appear to be working. There is some irony here.

exactly FB really caters to the type of people who over inform you of what they are doing and want/need that kind of reinforcement for how whatever they think or do is "so great"...

These articles are typical FUD to get site visits... I see the media is picking up on it too.

Next time I'll add a link to SimHQ in my resume

I would not be surprised if soon enough anyone who wants to have some privacy in their lives will be labeled as suspicious.

Wait, a news outlet that got a story wrong?!? No WAY!

I haven't been on social media (other than the occasional post on various forums) for several years now, and it's not so much that I'm an antisocial whackjob, it's because FB and its ilk have shown they can't be trusted with private information. Either they sell it to marketing agencies or they can't batten-down the hatches against hackers. The digital footprint of the average person these days is mindboggling, and I choose to limit my exposure.

If I google my name, and it's a very unique name, I do not show up in the results. Ditto for FB and GIS. A 79 year-old Florida doctor with the same name does, though.