It’s great that Facebook keeps adding cool new features to its platform, like live video. What isn’t great is when they turn notifications on by default for these new features, rather than letting their users decide whether they want them or not.
If you’re getting unwanted notifications for live videos, there are a couple of things you can do.
You can also change this when you actually get a notification for a live video.
Instead of just leaving your tree at the curb this year, check out these tips from the National Wildlife Federation for giving it a second life.
Hearing a loud pop and watching bubbly pour out of the bottle may look like fun in the movies, but it’s a good way to waste a lot of this sparkling beverage. Follow the step-by-step instructions in the article below or watch the YouTube video to learn how to ring in 2017 with a full bottle left to enjoy.
How to Open a Bottle of Champagne (The Kitchn)
Happy New Year Everybody!
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Hi, Elizabeth!
As an avid follower of T4L, I have a question that I wouldn't have thought to ask you until I read your post on Facebook Notifications today. Now, although I have a facebook account, I rarely (if ever) use it. Having said that, I do get notified periodically that someone wants to be my "friend." I've become very skeptical of those notifications; were they really initiated by that potential friend or are they generated by some Facebook algorithm? Do they just glean a possible friend for me by taking a "mutual-friend-of-a-mutual-friend-of-a-mutual-friend" approach and hope I'll bite?
Some of these folks I actually know but haven't seen in a long while...Some are total strangers. The one that I did respond to 4 or 5 years ago turned out to be an old friend, but he had not, as I found out later, initiated the request. I'm a friendly sort, but I haven't responded to one since.
If you Google that issue, you find all sorts of similar complaints but no answers. Even Facebook doesn't respond in those various forums.
So, if this is a question that you can answer, great! If not, I want to thank you anyway for your fabulous work and writing style. You've cleared away the "weeds" for me on a number of streaming and tech issues like no one else has.
Best Wishes for the New Year!
Hi Gary.
First off, thanks so much for the compliment. What a nice way to end the year!
Next, I don't think Facebook's algorithm actually sends friend requests on its own. But it's possible that someone clicked on something about inviting someone to become a friend without realizing that's what was going to happen. So that could explain your friend who said he didn't initiate the request. He may have without realizing it.
The algorithm CAN send you messages saying they think you may know someone and you might want to friend them. Sometimes those can be confusing and look like the friend contacted you himself, so that's another possibility.
There are also spammers that can send you friend requests and sometimes they create a profile that looks like someone you know to try to get your info when you accept the request. That's against Facebook's terms of service of course, but spammers can always find a way around the rules.
If you get a friend request and you're not sure if it's legit, you can always try sending a private message to the person to see if they really did send one. By default you can send messages to people when you're not friends unless they changed their own privacy settings.
I hope that helps and thanks again for the nice note. Happy New Year to you and yours!
- Elizabeth