I’ve seen this trend taking off the last year or so. Every spammer out there has included Facebook in their plans. Here is how it works:

  1. I have a stupid site i want to promote or a stupid product or anything that you wouldn’t actually even pay attention to.
  2. I go to Facebook and create a new group. I give it a smart, funny, witty, inviting name such as “I am always right and when i’m not i’m rightfully wrong”. How funny.
  3. I spam invite all my friends to join. They find it funny enough and do join.
  4. The group shows up in their “Info” box.
  5. More users notice it and join. Moreover users that already join suggest to their friends to join as well.
  6. The group shows up slowly in many walls as “Dumbass join the group “I’m always right and when i’m not i’m rightfully wrong”“.
  7. Facebook also starts suggesting it to other users because people in their contact list are member. You must have seen them “”I’m always right and when i’m not i’m rightfully wrong” Dumbass is a fan. Become a fan.
  8. In no time this shitty thing goes viral. Thousands of users actually are members of the group in a matter of days/weeks.

Now one would ask “Why is that spam? It’s fun!”. Ok count with me:

  • The group administrator, a very clever spammer if i might add, has indirect access to our timeline. This means that whatever he posts on the group’s wall, ends up in our timeline. Thus, we are actually subjected to “free ads” if i might use the term.
  • Since Facebook will list this in your Info box and moreover suggest it to your friends (if you haven’t done that already) it will just keep on going viral. Which means even more free advertising.

In most cases those groups promote or will try to promote something at some point or the other. The thing is why should you join? You like a quote? Freakin post it on your wall as a quote. Don’t join the stupid group so i can be bugged as well. You need to consider two things:

  1. Facebook groups were created to group people and their activities. You like a blog? Join their group. You are in a community (for instance your local basketball team)? Join the group. That’s the idea. RTFM!
  2. In Facebook we are a network. That’s the original idea. Which means that if you’re my friend i get all your posts on my timeline. Don’t spam me!

And since i’m in the topic, as aΒ side note, i want to say this. Stop freakin posting your farmville, mafia wars or any other stupid game’s achievements Β on your wall. Lord! Do i really need to know that you found a stupid virtual cow in your so called farm?

That’s it. I vented. Thanks for listening and God bless πŸ™‚