Blog Archives
What to do when you get a fake friend request on Facebook
I often get a friend request on Facebook and scratch my head, thinking, “I thought I was already his friend.” What’s going on? What should I do?
I go to the search button on Facebook, and I do a quick search for the name of my friend. Often, a different acccount by the same name shows as already my friend. Aha! This tells me that the new request is fake. The one that is already my friend is the real account.
I usually take a look at the timeline of the person who is already my friend. Often they have already posted a warning saying, “Don’t accept a friend request from me! I’ve been hacked!” Technically, my friend has not been hacked; that is, nobody has gotten access to my friend’s password. Instead, somebody has taken his or her photos and created a new Facebook page by the same name, using the same pictures, and sent out friend requests to people already that person’s friend. They usually do this to send private messages under the pretend name and sell something or get money some way or another. But I digress…
So once I realize that this new friend request is coming from a fake account, what do I do? Facebook actually makes this easy. Here’s what you can do:
- Return to the friend request that you got from the fake account. Read this carefully: do not accept it, and do not delete the request, either. Instead, select the button to the right of the “accept” and “delete” buttons (usually it has some dots, but you can click on it), and select the third option, a menu of drop-down options that includes a link to Find support or report the profile. Click on that link, to report the profile.
- Next, select the option that says this person is pretending to be someone else. Notice that not only is there an option to report that they are pretending to be your friend, but there is also an option to report that they are pretending to be you. If you are the person being impersonated, you can use this option yourself to defend your account.
- Next, it will ask you to put in the name of the friend that the fake account is pretending to be. Put in the name of your real friend, and the real friend’s account should come up. Don’t worry about this being the fake account; you have not accepted the friend request from the fake account, so the only person who can come up as your friend who is being impersonated is the name of the real friend’s account. Click on the name of your real friend. This will allow you to submit the report to Facebook, letting Facebook know the name of the real account being impersonated.
- Facebook will then ask you if you want to do anything else, such as block the fake account. I usually go ahead and block the fake account, but if you prefer, you can simply delete the friend request from the fake account. Then I click that I’m done. That’s it!
As you can see, it’s a fairly easy process to report a fake account, and it is the best way for you to help your real friend. After all, isn’t that what friends are for?
Alternatives to liberal big tech
Copyright by Bob Rogers.
In late February 2021, Amazon suddenly stopped offering a bestselling book that had been published in 2018, When Harry Became Sally: Responding to the Transgender Moment, by Ryan T. Anderson. You can find books that disagree with Anderson on Amazon, but his book is no longer available on the site (which controls 83% of the book market). Amazon still sells books on anarchy or how to make a bomb, as well as Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf, but not Anderson’s book, which was is a scholarly, carefully researched work, written with a compassionate, gracious tone—it just challenges the liberal narrative.
Unless your head has been in a hole, you know that the liberal “cancel culture” has been banning and silencing conservative books, videos, and social media posts, while promoting liberal views. This is causing many conservatives to ask, “Do I have other alternatives to liberal big tech and liberal media?” The answer is yes! Below I offer some suggested alternatives, but with a caution. Those of us who are followers of Christ are “not of the world” (John 17:16), yet at the same time, we are “sent into the world” (John 17:18). Thus, even as I recommend using these alternatives, I would suggest that we continue to be “salt and light” (Matthew 5:13-14) in the public square, especially on Facebook and Twitter, as much as possible.
Alternative to Amazon: Barnes and Noble. Barnes and Noble still offers Anderson’s book, and since they are the biggest book competitor to Amazon, it puts the most pressure on Amazon. If you really feel strongly about it, you could cancel your Amazon Prime membership, and tell them why. You may also want to buy books directly from the publisher.
Alternative to Google: DuckDuckGo. DuckDuckGo is an excellent search engine, but unlike Google, it does not suppress conservative information, and it does not violate your privacy by compiling information about you. I have compared the two search engines several times, and found conservative information is often buried by Google several pages later, but conservative information is presented fairly by DuckDuckGo.
Alternative to Facebook: MeWe. MeWe is a social media platform that is gaining millions of new users every week. It operates in ways similar to Facebook, with a huge difference: MeWe protects your privacy and does not collect information on you, nor sell ads. It also doesn’t delete conservative political posts, although it will delete abusive and obscene posts. It makes money by offering a premium version for a few dollars a month.
Alternative to Twitter: Parler. Twitter became notorious for removing Donald Trump and conservative Christian satire site The Babylon Bee (see below), and for suppressing the Hunter Biden scandal. Parler was in the news recently when Amazon stopped hosting its site with claims that Parler allowed violent threats against the government, but Parler is back online now, although it is till struggling to function. Parler users tend to be highly political and very conservative, so be aware. Also, since Elon Musk just became a major shareholder in Twitter, changes may come to Twitter.
Alternative to the Associated Press: World magazine. World is a Christian news source, that reports news objectively, and then takes an in-depth look into issues from a biblical perspective. Its website www.wng.org is free, and offers daily news reports, and also gives an informative free news podcast, “The World and Everything In it.”
Alternative to Snopes: CheckYourFact.com. Snopes is the most popular site for checking rumors and conspiracy theories, but it has been tainted by taking a liberal slant numerous times, notably it has labeled as “false” articles by the conservative Christian satire website, Babylon Bee, even though the articles were obviously satire. CheckYourFact.com is owned by the conservative Daily Caller, but it is independent of The Daily Caller, and is certified by the International Fact Checking Network (IFCN).
Alternative to The Onion: The Babylon Bee. Speaking of satire, The Onion is the most famous satire website, but the stings from The Babylon Bee have generated so much attention that Facebook and Snopes have labeled some of its satire as false in ways that remove it from being viewed, and Twitter removed The Babylon Bee after it satired a transgender being recognized as “woman of the year.” You may want to search for it on DuckDuckGo, and check it out for yourself.
7 ways to control social media before it controls you
Copyright by Bob Rogers.
Social media such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter have become major addictions for millions of people. Research shows that in 2018, the average person spent 2 hours, 16 minutes (136 minutes) a day on social media and similar platforms, and the numbers are increasing every year! Social media can be good, as it helps families and friends who are far apart stay in touch, but it can also be the source of adultery, bullying, political bickering, and other harmful practices. A wise person learns to control social media before it controls them. Here are seven ways:
- Set time limits and “off limits” times. You can adjust your settings on Facebook and Instagram so that they will notify you when you have been on the site for a certain amount of time. (I set mine to remind me at 30 minutes.) Stay off social media while at work or school. If people send you messages during work or school hours, wait until later to respond, and let them know that you are unavailable during work or class. When sitting down at a meal, agree with family and friends to put away your phones. Have “family time” that is off-limits to social media, such as 6-8 p.m.
- Take precautions with the opposite sex. Social media is an easy medium for people of the opposite sex to have private conversations. Thus, married and engaged people in particular need to be intentional about taking precautions. My pastor, Dr. David Whitten, recommends that husbands and wives set up a joint account, or that they not make “friends” with the opposite sex unless they have a good reason for doing so, such as their own family members. Give your spouse your password, and give your spouse permission to approve or veto your friendship with members of the opposite sex.
- Turn off notifications. Tony Reinke in his book, 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You, points out that a major reason for the addiction is how people get self-esteem from how many “Likes” they get. Some have suffered anxiety and depression if they fail to get the “Likes” they desire. Turning off the notifications shuts off these messages—it’s like throwing away the needle for a drug addict.
- Make spiritual disciplines a priority. When you rise in the morning, get out your Bible instead of your phone, and get on your knees to pray instead of getting on the computer to play. Make this your daily habit.
- Have a “day off” and a Sabbatical from social media. Christian blogger Tim Challies takes one day a week and one week a year to be completely off social media. If you don’t feel you can take an entire day, try staying off for 12 hours straight, and then lengthen the time the next week.
- Delete social media from your phone, and only use it on your computer. This is an excellent way to force yourself to stay off social media when at work, eating out, etc. Let people know that if they need to reach you, they can text or call!
- Set other healthy goals and pursue them. Keep a good book (and The Good Book) handy and set goals for minutes reading. Get a bicycle, join a gym, go walking, plant a garden, and make these healthy exercises a priority. The best way to overcome a bad addiction is to acquire a healthy addiction!
Bob Rogers 