Facebook's Problematic Approach to Groups

Facebook is the cause of most all problems I have with the groups.  Actually, just one group is a big problem, Collecting Vintage Children's Series Books.  Last month, I wrote about the problems in that group. 

The root cause is that Facebook promotes the groups to random people.  My experience last night proved this to me, even though I was already certain.  Before I get to that, I want to mention my news feed.

Facebook continually places posts in my feed that are not even slightly of interest to me.  Sometimes what is chosen is close enough that I find the content to be of some interest.  But they also place really odd stuff in my feed, and I wonder what I did to trigger the algorithm to choose me for that content. 

Just a few days ago, Facebook placed multiple posts in my feed featuring Black social justice content.  It was a random selection, yet somehow not since I saw posts from multiple Facebook pages featuring similar content. 

Awhile back, Facebook spent around a week presenting me with various recording artists, all of whom were completely unknown to me.  Presenting me with random stuff makes no sense.  The algorithm is apparently designed with the goal of creating growth by throwing random content at users.  All it does is make me want to flee.

Facebook does present me with posts from some Facebook pages run by Queen fans.  This at least is logical since I am a member of several Queen groups.  However, when the posts are presented to me, they are disconcertingly numerous.  Facebook is trying to force me to like one certain page in particular.  Enough!  

I find it curious that I have never once seen anything featuring the Bee Gees.  I am not a member of any Bee Gees groups.  I find a large percent of Facebook content to be frustratingly inane, so I am wary of the Bee Gees groups.  

I also don't follow the official Bee Gees page.  I'm not interested in the kinds of posts made by that account.  I choose venues other than Facebook for Bee Gees discussion. 

Still, it doesn't make sense why I haven't triggered Facebook's algorithm.  I created a Bee Gees blog and Facebook page in December, which I have not followed up on yet, so nobody follows either one.  Google knows I did this, since Google knows everything.  Google even owns Blogger.  That aside, Google shares its search information with Facebook almost immediately.  I can use Google to find a certain website, and then I'll be on Facebook a short time later seeing an ad for that site.  

Just the existence of the Bee Gees Facebook page tied to my account ought to trigger the algorithm.  Despite all the technology behind Facebook, the site is woefully inept.  Facebook's algorithm is too flawed to see what should be obvious.  Instead, it suggests recording artists not remotely connected to anything I have seen in my entire life.

I am placing a link to the Bee Gees blog and Facebook page here just to see if Google will begin to index them.  This blog of mine should have a high enough Google ranking to help the situation.

My World of the Bee Gees Facebook page

My World of the Bee Gees Blog

My idea is to post photos of all of my Bee Gees stuff, and the Series Books for Girls blog is not the place for that.  That content needs to be somewhere else, so that's my plan once I feel like taking the time to execute it.

Going back to the series book groups, I don't enjoy most of them very much.  This is because of the troublemakers and people who try to use the groups as their own personal playgrounds.  It is hard to handle these people, and it is hard to know when to finally say enough.

I do like my own private group, Jennifer's Series Books.  I have one membership question:  "Why do you want to join this group?"  Prospective members who are the ones I want will have no problem answering this question to my satisfaction. 

I mentioned my group on my Facebook page last night.  I had a few people request to join who answered the question fine.  I approved them.

I had a few people who were probably okay due to which groups they were already in, but the question was not answered.  I declined and told them that I required the question be answered as a formality.  A couple of those people promptly answered and were approved. 

I also had a few people ask to join who appeared to have no connection to any of the series book groups.  Those people did not answer the question.  I declined, saying that the question needed to be answered.  So far, those people have not tried again.  Hmm...

I do believe Facebook suggested my little group to a few random people last night.  Gee, thanks Facebook.  Quit doing that. 

Requiring an appropriate answer to the question prevents the random people from joining.  The questions have also been added to the series book groups that I manage.  Just yesterday, someone answered, "I LOVE BOOKSSS!" to the question.  Based on that vague response and my intuition, I declined the request.

It's too bad that Facebook didn't have the membership question feature 10 years ago, because the series book groups would not be in such a mess if we had been able to approve only the people who truly fit.

Jennifer's Series Books Group on Facebook (The membership question must be answered!)

The group is basically for people who follow my Facebook page, this blog, or me in some aspect.  Posts will often mirror the posts from the Facebook page, although sometimes I post something in one place and not the other.  Posts will usually be about series books but also sometimes vintage teen books or other books that I have read.  I will sometimes mention buying and selling topics.  I will occasionally mention when I have listed a bunch of books for sale.  I don't do that very often since I dislike promoting myself.