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The funny thing about Facebook is that it's got a perfectly good social network in there, I think the only one that exists. In the menu is "Feeds" which is what

The funny thing about Facebook is that it's got a perfectly good social network in there, I think the only one that exists. In the menu is "Feeds" which is what you want. It only shows friends and followed things. If they made that the default when you go to facebook.com I don't think I'd have any complaints feature-wise, though an ad-free option would be nice. It's a genuine social network. Of course, then there's the question of who decides how and what is moderated, and the question of who can access your data, and Facebook definitely leaves a lot to be desired in that area just in terms of Meta not being a particularly trustworthy entity to have control of those decisions.

kelvinjps10 8mo ago
The only thing I used Facebook, is for marketplace and groups you can buy cheap stuff on there.
godot 8mo ago
Wow, I did not know about this Feeds page despite being a daily FB user for 20 years (yes, to the ridicule of most people, I know). Thanks for pointing this out. I wish this was the default homepage or at least a way to set it as default.
- Zak 8mo ago
  Each feed has a unique URL, so you can bookmark it in your browser. For people using Facebook via native mobile apps, my recommendation would be to stop and use a browser.
  - hapticmonkey 8mo ago
    Annoyingly I can not get it to work on mobile (iOS Safari). Loading the url cause the page to refresh and take me to the main page.
  - anonymars 8mo ago
    > Meta not being a particularly trustworthy entity > For people using Facebook via native mobile apps, my recommendation would be to stop and use a browser Related (2025): https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44169115 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44169115
    - rezonant 8mo ago
      Thankfully, since then, Chrome and all other major browsers now ask the user for permission before letting websites send requests to localhost or any local IP addresses. Obviously some users may click through that, but it prevents the behavior from being invisible to the user at least, and gives them a way to say no. https://developer.chrome.com/blog/local-network-access https://developer.chrome.com/blog/local-network-access PS: I still recommend never installing Meta apps on your phone. PPS: There are legitimate uses of this functionality, so as a web dev I'm happy the functionality wasn't silently blocked. This gives an opportunity to explain to the user why the permission is needed if the use is legitimate. Would be nice if it could be further scoped though.
      - j16sdiz 8mo ago
        Chrome added that _after_ sb discovered meta abusing it.
        rezonant 8mo ago
        Yep, that's why I said since then
- zythyx 8mo ago
  Goes to show how much my 300 friends use Facebook, I had to scroll at least 3 pages before I found a post from my grandma in law about her dog, and that was all for the next few scrolls. Everything else was followed pages that I actually don't care about and ads.
- debo_ 8mo ago
  > or at least a way to set it as default Ctrl+D?
throawayonthe 8mo ago
facebook does have an ads-free paid option: https://www.facebook.com/help/262038446684066/ https://www.facebook.com/help/262038446684066/ in europe
thaumasiotes 8mo ago
> I think the only one that exists Wechat moments show you the things that your contacts post. There are theoretically ads too, but ever since they forcibly converted me to a US-based account I don't get ads because no one is interested in advertising to me. It's too bad; I liked seeing the Chinese ads. Comments on wechat follow the Maplestory system where you can see comments (on anyone's posts) from your own contacts, but not from other people.
- kelvinjps10 8mo ago
  WhatsApp too is my only social media, you can see the updates from your contacts
stevage 8mo ago
Wow, that Feeds page is great! Did not know.
socalgal2 8mo ago
oMg thank you for pointing this out. I knew instagram had this as it’s top center. (X has to too). I didn’t know fb had it. So much better!
alex1138 8mo ago
I could be wrong but I think they were basically forced to add Feeds by regulation (out of Europe?) For ages it was Top Stories vs Most Recent. Most Recent didn't even work, and of course it would always change you back to Top Stories With all the potential of the internet, we got stuck with fucking Zuckerberg? We know what he thinks about people.

kelvinjps10 8mo ago

The only thing I used Facebook, is for marketplace and groups you can buy cheap stuff on there.

godot 8mo ago

Wow, I did not know about this Feeds page despite being a daily FB user for 20 years (yes, to the ridicule of most people, I know). Thanks for pointing this out. I wish this was the default homepage or at least a way to set it as default.

Zak 8mo ago
Each feed has a unique URL, so you can bookmark it in your browser. For people using Facebook via native mobile apps, my recommendation would be to stop and use a browser.
- hapticmonkey 8mo ago
  Annoyingly I can not get it to work on mobile (iOS Safari). Loading the url cause the page to refresh and take me to the main page.
- anonymars 8mo ago
  > Meta not being a particularly trustworthy entity > For people using Facebook via native mobile apps, my recommendation would be to stop and use a browser Related (2025): https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44169115 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44169115
  - rezonant 8mo ago
    Thankfully, since then, Chrome and all other major browsers now ask the user for permission before letting websites send requests to localhost or any local IP addresses. Obviously some users may click through that, but it prevents the behavior from being invisible to the user at least, and gives them a way to say no. https://developer.chrome.com/blog/local-network-access https://developer.chrome.com/blog/local-network-access PS: I still recommend never installing Meta apps on your phone. PPS: There are legitimate uses of this functionality, so as a web dev I'm happy the functionality wasn't silently blocked. This gives an opportunity to explain to the user why the permission is needed if the use is legitimate. Would be nice if it could be further scoped though.
    - j16sdiz 8mo ago
      Chrome added that _after_ sb discovered meta abusing it.
      - rezonant 8mo ago
        Yep, that's why I said since then
zythyx 8mo ago
Goes to show how much my 300 friends use Facebook, I had to scroll at least 3 pages before I found a post from my grandma in law about her dog, and that was all for the next few scrolls. Everything else was followed pages that I actually don't care about and ads.
debo_ 8mo ago
> or at least a way to set it as default Ctrl+D?

throawayonthe 8mo ago

facebook does have an ads-free paid option: https://www.facebook.com/help/262038446684066/ https://www.facebook.com/help/262038446684066/ in europe

thaumasiotes 8mo ago

> I think the only one that exists Wechat moments show you the things that your contacts post. There are theoretically ads too, but ever since they forcibly converted me to a US-based account I don't get ads because no one is interested in advertising to me. It's too bad; I liked seeing the Chinese ads. Comments on wechat follow the Maplestory system where you can see comments (on anyone's posts) from your own contacts, but not from other people.

kelvinjps10 8mo ago
WhatsApp too is my only social media, you can see the updates from your contacts

stevage 8mo ago

Wow, that Feeds page is great! Did not know.

socalgal2 8mo ago

oMg thank you for pointing this out. I knew instagram had this as it’s top center. (X has to too). I didn’t know fb had it. So much better!

alex1138 8mo ago

I could be wrong but I think they were basically forced to add Feeds by regulation (out of Europe?) For ages it was Top Stories vs Most Recent. Most Recent didn't even work, and of course it would always change you back to Top Stories With all the potential of the internet, we got stuck with fucking Zuckerberg? We know what he thinks about people.