Social Media Rant

Lowflynjack

Lowflynjack

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Jack Fleetwood
In the last two years I've lost one close friend in a plane crash, one FB friend in a car crash, and this weekend a Facebook friend was killed in a 170 crash along with his wife and two small boys.

I know we put ourselves out there by being on Facebook. In all of these cases people thought it was acceptable to post crash photos on the victim's FB page. With the media wanting to be the first to post a story, these people often just add a link to the news story. In all of these cases, family members and friends found out from FB. Finding out that way is rough enough, but imagine clicking on FB and seeing a photo of your loved one's plane destroyed with a story saying there were no survivors. Why do people think they need to be the first to share a crash photo? You're not in the news, nobody will ever look back and congratulate you on being the first to report it.
 
Lowflynjack said:
In the last two years I've lost one close friend in a plane crash, one FB friend in a car crash, and this weekend a Facebook friend was killed in a 170 crash along with his wife and two small boys.

I know we put ourselves out there by being on Facebook. In all of these cases people thought it was acceptable to post crash photos on the victim's FB page. With the media wanting to be the first to post a story, these people often just add a link to the news story. In all of these cases, family members and friends found out from FB. Finding out that way is rough enough, but imagine clicking on FB and seeing a photo of your loved one's plane destroyed with a story saying there were no survivors. Why do people think they need to be the first to share a crash photo? You're not in the news, nobody will ever look back and congratulate you on being the first to report it.
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People always feel the need to be first to post a crash here too.
 
This is something we in the emergency services have been dealing with. In the past, names of deceased were held until the family could be notified, and the regular media usually respected that. Now, names and details, sometimes right or wrong, are plastered all over social media within minutes at times. In more than one case it has led to immediate family finding out the terrible news on social media before authorities could ever attempt to make contact.

Personally, I think it is just one more symptom of a lack of compassion and decency in the population. If people would just take the time to think instead of blab and share things on social media, what a world it would be.
 
I think it's in poor taste to post before the families have been notified.

We went through this in the Army with an Apache accident. Pilots were on a field exercise and had their cell phones. Called back to their wives that one of their pilots just died in an accident. Of course the "rumor mill girls" spread the word and one of them calls the deceased wife to offer condolences. She obviously has no clue what's happened and is like "what crash???" Embarrassing and against proper protocol.

Can't apply military rules to civilians but you'd think people would have the common decency to wait for the proper authority to notify the families of the deceased.
 
If someone dies in a crash, even after the family is notified, I would never post a photo of the crash on their page or tag them. Their family and friends go there to find solace and see those pics. As you guys mentioned, no respect and just plain stupid.
 
Lowflynjack said:
If someone dies in a crash, even after the family is notified, I would never post a photo of the crash on their page or tag them. Their family and friends go there to find solace and see those pics. As you guys mentioned, no respect and just plain stupid.
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This.

Also I don't use FB anyway for a lot of reasons. Stupid people doing stupid things is one of them.
 
The whole premise of Facebook is vanity. When did it become fashionable to share personal stuff with millions of strangers? When Mark Suckerberg stole the idea from his college roomates and billions fell for the ploy.
 
On the other hand I've found out about people that I know and care about via a FB post. Crash pictures for the sake of crash pix no but notifications via FB may be the best way to get the word out.
 
My FB usage has dwindled and I find myself rarely using it. POA in all honesty is my biggest form of social media that I use. I understand your frustrations.

Sorry for your loss, my condolences.
 
Ryanb said:
My FB usage has dwindled and I find myself rarely using it. POA in all honesty is my biggest form of social media that I use. I understand your frustrations.

Sorry for your loss, my condolences.
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Yeah I get on it for maybe 5 minutes total for the day. It's either people posting something for attention (selfie), a duplicated news post or politics. It's gotten old but I keep it just to see where old friends are at.
 
Ryanb said:
My FB usage has dwindled and I find myself rarely using it. POA in all honesty is my biggest form of social media that I use. I understand your frustrations. Sorry for your loss, my condolences.
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I use Facebook for flying. I have a Facebook page called Texas Fly-Ins where I post events. It helps us get together. I post my flying photos there as well on my AirPix page. Beyond that, I rarely look at it anymore. I only accept friends who are into aviation, and the quickest way to get me to delete you is to type the words Obama or Trump! No thanks.
 
It seems it's the same story everywhere. Just yesterday, an elderly man was murdered, for absolutely no f*cking reason, on FB Live. Everyone and their mother posted the video to the granddaughter's Twitter account as if they were going to win something for doing so.

It's just sad.

Sorry to hear about your friend.
 
I am aware of this particular crash and I actually saw a exchange between one of the family members that did not yet know. I couldn't believe it this is how they found out.

Common decency is pretty much a thing of the past
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I am aware of this particular crash and I actually saw a exchange between one of the family members that did not yet know. I couldn't believe it this is how they found out.

Common decency is pretty much a thing of the past
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Yep and it's still going on. Someone in that family must have spent all morning deleting photos people put up of the crash. Not only do I have to let you know I knew the guy, I have to tell you that we were good friends, and oh by the way, here's a news story with a horrible photo.

"Nathan was a really good guy. I met him at American Flyers. I'm extremely shocked by this. Very sad....." This one had a link to the story showing the crumpled plane. It screams LOOK AT ME, I'M SAD TOO!
 
I have a slightly different take on it. First, the names of those killed should never be released until next of kin are notified. I also agree that posting photos just to be the first to post is wrong. now, I have friends all over the country that i rarely see anymore, and sometimes only talk to at some airshow somewhere. sometimes, a post on social media is the only way that i hear about it. I lost a friend in texas a few years ago, I found out about it when I was reading the FAA accident reports on the web. I think the answer is in how the posts are made. a well worded post that so and so died in a crash in xxx is ok after the next of kin are notified. posting a crash picture 20 minutes after the fact with the N number is not.

bob
 
I recently lost my sister-in-law in a car accident and found the same to be true. We had to hurry and tell the people that were close to her so they wouldn't find out on FB. I urge people to NEVER post on a deceased person's social media page before the family! And NEVER post pictures if it's an accident!!! The media will post everything that people need to see so you don't have to. All it does is make people hurt more.

My condolences to you and your friend.
 
unsafervguy said:
I have a slightly different take on it. First, the names of those killed should never be released until next of kin are notified. I also agree that posting photos just to be the first to post is wrong. now, I have friends all over the country that i rarely see anymore, and sometimes only talk to at some airshow somewhere. sometimes, a post on social media is the only way that i hear about it. I lost a friend in texas a few years ago, I found out about it when I was reading the FAA accident reports on the web. I think the answer is in how the posts are made. a well worded post that so and so died in a crash in xxx is ok after the next of kin are notified. posting a crash picture 20 minutes after the fact with the N number is not.

bob
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Bob, I agree with you that something should be posted but please, Let the family post the information they want to share!
 
Velocity173 said:
Yeah I get on it for maybe 5 minutes total for the day. It's either people posting something for attention (selfie), a duplicated news post or politics. It's gotten old but I keep it just to see where old friends are at.
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Yeah totally, that's all I really use it for too.
 
When you have people doing FB Live as they murder someone and others then starting GoFundMe accounts for the victim when they have no apparent connection to the deceased's family, it says all you need to know.
 
Sincerest condolences to you and the family of your friends. Terrible to hear, especially about the children. And I loathe reading that people found out via social media.

[rant]As for social media, I hate it. It's given people the ability (not the right) to act and behave stupidly. And it's memorialized forever. Common decency seems to be a thing of the past. I refuse to participate on Twitter, Facebook, or any other such site as it's nothing more than a bragging medium than anything else. And quite frankly, if I wanted to communicate with people, I'd call or email them directly. I can't be that lazy that I'll "friend" a bunch of people and put out generic posts.[/rant]
 
Velocity173 said:
Yeah I get on it for maybe 5 minutes total for the day. It's either people posting something for attention (selfie), a duplicated news post or politics. It's gotten old but I keep it just to see where old friends are at.
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Only reason I keep it around as well.
 
My condolences for your loss.

People seem comfortable saying or posting anything on a computer/phone/tablet screen because there's "nobody there" to give direct response. This then carries over to in person interaction to the detriment of all.

The only social media (besides forums) I use is Linked In and only because a client demanded I put up a profile. Visit it once a year or so to see if it needs updating. No Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or any of the other crap that passes for social interaction.

Cheers
 
I agree, it is both insensitive and in poor taste.
 
Sorry to hear about your loss @Lowflynjack

I've never done any social media as I know the design behind it. Social media is nothing but a huge data gold mine to sell your information to advertisers. It can also be used in nefarious ways. One of the big scams you need to watch out for, is when somebody loses a loved one, a scammer will often set up a "go fund me" type site and solicit donations from the bereaved or from the friends of the victims. Just an FYI... ;)
 
X3 Skier said:
The only social media (besides forums) I use is Linked In and only because a client demanded I put up a profile. Visit it once a year or so to see if it needs updating. No Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or any of the other crap that passes for social interaction.

Cheers
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Sounds exactly like me.
 
rtk11 said:
[rant]As for social media, I hate it. It's given people the ability (not the right) to act and behave stupidly. And it's memorialized forever. Common decency seems to be a thing of the past. I refuse to participate on Twitter, Facebook, or any other such site as it's nothing more than a bragging medium than anything else. And quite frankly, if I wanted to communicate with people, I'd call or email them directly. I can't be that lazy that I'll "friend" a bunch of people and put out generic posts.[/rant]
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:yeahthat:

-Skip

...and condolences to the friends and family of the victims. :(
 
azblackbird said:
I've never done any social media as I know the design behind it.
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Announcing on a social medium that you've never done any social media. Quality. :rolleyes:

Apologies and sympathy, @Lowflynjack. I've been there too.

Nauga,
and his anti-social network
 
I heard the pilot was ATC. Is that true?

Condolensces.
 
Unfortunately, this is not a new thing. People gossip and social media allows them to do that in a faster and more widespread manner.

A couple weeks before my senior year of high school, I found out my best friend passed away from a guy walking down the street. My boss and I were loading the truck for delivery and this random guy with "news" stuck his head in the warehouse and said "Did you hear about "so and so's kid?" It was like he couldn't wait to tell everybody he saw. This was 7:30 in the morning and within hours of his passing. It sucks to find out you lost someone you care about in such a cold way. Some people just don't understand.

Sorry for your loss.
 
citizen5000 said:
The whole premise of Facebook is vanity. When did it become fashionable to share personal stuff with millions of strangers? When Mark Suckerberg stole the idea from his college roomates and billions fell for the ploy.
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I don't think that is the "premise" of FB, but it definitely allows people to act in a vain manner if they do choose. Being able to connect with friends/family through a visual medium need not be in the name of vanity. It is what you allow it to be.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Unfortunately a photo of the crash has been posted on Taildragger Pilots United FB page. No names are mentioned. I still think something like that is inappropriate, people should have some respect for families and friends. Personally I don't need to look at photos of crashes where someone lost their life.
 
Lowflynjack said:
In the last two years I've lost one close friend in a plane crash, one FB friend in a car crash, and this weekend a Facebook friend was killed in a 170 crash along with his wife and two small boys.

I know we put ourselves out there by being on Facebook. In all of these cases people thought it was acceptable to post crash photos on the victim's FB page. With the media wanting to be the first to post a story, these people often just add a link to the news story. In all of these cases, family members and friends found out from FB. Finding out that way is rough enough, but imagine clicking on FB and seeing a photo of your loved one's plane destroyed with a story saying there were no survivors. Why do people think they need to be the first to share a crash photo? You're not in the news, nobody will ever look back and congratulate you on being the first to report it.
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Jack, sorry to hear about you friends passing.
I found out my older brother had died from a heart attack from a post on FB. I cannot imagine the horror if there were photos on the post of his death.
 
There's a more fundamental issue, Starting in 1993 or so, the unwashed masses were allowed onto the Internet thru various methods. Many of us here remember rec.aviation.* and how it disintegrated. Same for just about every one of the forums. Now lay the web on top, and all h*** breaks loose. The crazies have always been around, access is now trivial so they have the audience they crave. We just never noticed them before in such quantity.
 
champ driver said:
Unfortunately a photo of the crash has been posted on Taildragger Pilots United FB page. No names are mentioned. I still think something like that is inappropriate, people should have some respect for families and friends. Personally I don't need to look at photos of crashes where someone lost their life.
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I don't think that is as bad if they don't tag the victims. Pilots naturally want to discuss what happened. At least the family would have to be searching to see this photo.

I bet 20 people either tagged or just directly added the photo to this pilot's FB page. I just don't get that mentality. "Oh no, XXXX died. I can't believe it. I once almost met him at a fly-in where he left an hour before I got there. Here's a photo that I posted before anyone else did. Look at how sad I am."
 
murphey said:
There's a more fundamental issue, Starting in 1993 or so, the unwashed masses were allowed onto the Internet thru various methods. Many of us here remember rec.aviation.* and how it disintegrated. Same for just about every one of the forums. Now lay the web on top, and all h*** breaks loose. The crazies have always been around, access is now trivial so they have the audience they crave. We just never noticed them before in such quantity.
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Ah, yes. The September that never ended.

For all you wet-behind-the-ears newcomers, for many years usenet (the old alt.whatever... groups) would be inundated in September when new crops of college students got their computer accounts. Then the noise would die off until the next September. Until AOL. So us old-timers referred to it as the September that never ended...
 
Lowflynjack said:
I don't think that is as bad if they don't tag the victims. Pilots naturally want to discuss what happened. At least the family would have to be searching to see this photo.

I bet 20 people either tagged or just directly added the photo to this pilot's FB page. I just don't get that mentality. "Oh no, XXXX died. I can't believe it. I once almost met him at a fly-in where he left an hour before I got there. Here's a photo that I posted before anyone else did. Look at how sad I am."
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I agree 100%, what some people did on the victim's FB is ignorant.
Putting the photo on the Taildraggers United FB page is pointless. There's very little, if anything to learn from a photo of a mangled plane, an accident report is different though.

I'm truly sorry for the loss of your friend.
 
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