The Facebook Thief

in #life7 years ago (edited)

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Have you met one? Even if you haven't I bet you have. The ones who will take photos of anything and wallop it up on Facebook. Usually to pretend that they are something they are not.

Today I had the fortune to be visited by my cousin. I hadn't seen her and her husband for over a year. The two of them descended upon my home, like a pair of locusts.

I had my best face on. I was feeling pretty spiffy. I was determined to have a good time and not get all grumpy. Sometimes my relatives bring out the worst in me you see. So for today I had polished up my diplomacy and was ready. Nothing could phase me, I would be the perfect host. Nothing could go wrong surely?

There she is! There is my amazing little cousin!!

Shrieked my lady boomcousin, Boomelia.

My little daughter who usually loved visitors was swiftly lifted up by Boomelia.

Quick, quick. Take a photo.

She urged her husband, passing her phone over. The snap was swiftly taken. Boomelia, hurriedly put down my daughter and whilst the rest of us made small talk was tapping away frantically at her phone.

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She finished what she was doing and started talking, oh it was wonderful to see us. Were we terribly excited to be having another baby? Etc etc etc. All the while ignoring my daughter whenever she asked a question.

My phone vibrated. I pulled it out for a quick look. Hmmph, it was just Facebook. I hardly use it these days and always get annoyed when I get a notification. I was about to put my phone away when I saw what the notification was.

Boomelia tagged you in a post.

I quickly checked the post. It was the photo of Boomelia and my little lass. The caption was

Love spending time with this one!

I found that to be a little ironic considering she actually spends no time with her but loves to steal moments with her to post on Facebook. Sure enough I had a quick look at the comments.

Omg, she's beautiful, yous look great.

You're the best cousin ever.

And so on.

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I looked for the flag icon but alas, Facebook isn't Steemit. Still, I was determined not to get grumpy even though I think my daughter has seen her a grand total of five times in four and a bit years. That hardly make her the best cousin ever.

We had dinner later. Boomelia insisted on another photo with my little lady. Grrr.

Don't Facebook that please?

The conversation stopped and everyone froze at my innocuous comment. Oops, I realised I had just broken one of the great taboos of the 21st century. I had asked someone not to put something on Facebook.

Why not?

Huffed Boomelia.

Because I don't want you to.

You've no right!

Eh, I think I have.

You haven't, I can't believe you even said that to me?

Boomelia's voice was rising and her face rather red. As if I had just winked and said show us yer knickers love? Her hubbie too was looking a little indignant. I asked my little lady if she would mind going upstairs to fetch her dinosaur jigsaw. She leapt at the chance and trotted off.

As soon as she was gone I dropped the smile.

Stop being a fucking arse.

I said diplomatically to Boomelia.

What, who are you calling an arse?

You, Facebooking photos of the little lady as if you are best buddies when in fact you never bother making the slightest effort to see her.

I do make the effort!

You don't so you are being an arse.

My little lady returned to the room with her dinosaur jigsaw and hostilities ceased. Later as we waved them off my daughter ran upstairs to see them drive onto the distance.

I looked at the good lady.

Sorry, was I out of order?

She shrugged.

Not at all. She's an arse.

Sort:  

Thank you for posting @meesterboom.

What an encounter of the worst kind.

Since you are a gentleman......of course you protect the ladies in your care....they are the better for it.

bleujay would have expected no less from you. Well done.

Wishing you and your family all the best. Cheers.

Hello my dear @bleujay! Thank you for stopping by. You are absolutely correct of course. A gentleman protects those close to his heart!

All the very best to you too :0)

i can relate to this :

my relatives bring out the worst in me ...

but rather not say anything further

as for the fb thief yes a lot of them like that
i saw my pic on one of my friend's post and it was shot by someone else in a group work somewhere last week and I specifically told my friends i don't want to be tagged nor seen on fb specially on that wall of their marketing achu - chu - chu but they still do without my permission
i still love them as my friends but i feel disrespected having seen my pics and face still being posted there
booooo
I can relate to how you feel - specially that your situation is - so faked - you're very kind!
Here, that's a no no
if they tell you dont you'd better not

I think your way sounds the best way. It is aborting enough when it ends up being yourself but she was just taking the biscuit. She always had been a troublesome one. Lol, the one good thing is that she is so self centred she probably could read this and not think it was her!

Arseome!

People @s0u1 and I interacted with on the 'tinternet back in the 90s (yes we did have 'tinternet back in the middle-ages!) never knew we had children.

I never posted about them in the chat rooms or forums. I never spoke about them at the meets we attended.

I don't want the weirdos* online knowing I have children thank you! ;)

*Present company (mostly) excepted of course ;)

I know exactly what you mean. There are some people that back in the day when I was on Facebook all the time I genuinely felt like I knew their kids!

Hehe, and you know, I remember the internet of back then. A wondrous thing in a show clunky way!

Hahaha! The 28k modem was improved to 33 and then 56 (I think).

These kids on here don't know they're born! ;) hahaha

May we never have to hear this again....

I hate that noise!! AAAARRGH, is imprinted on my mind from the bad days. Remember when a picture used to download line by line. Yeek!

We have a rule in my house. No photos. Ever! We had an instance a few years back when my neighbour was the same, posting anything and everything all over the internet. Then she had a little bambino. More photos than you could shake a stick at. To make a long story short, it turns out some big baby food conglomerate in China was using the Bambino's photo in all sorts of adverts. She had one heck of a time getting them to stop... So therefore no photos in my house or anywhere else without my express permission.

Goodness me, imagine finding out that. That's exactly what can happen. Sod that for a game of soldiers as they say!!

I understand how bad it feels to have some of this relatives who are so addicted to social media.

Some people these days have low self esteem that they just depend on social media likes and comments to raise their esteem!
They just want attention!

I found that to be a little ironic considering she actually spends no time with her but loves to steal moments with her to post on Facebook.

Some of these people need counselling!

Counseling and maybe a right good kick in the arse!!!

and am adding a slight upper-cut to that

Don't mind me i was a Boxer who never made it to stardom!

Hehe, there ain't much a good uppercut can't sort out!! :0D

🤣🤣😂

Wow! I love that you would confront her when most people would've looked the other way simply because they don't want to create an 'awkward' moment. That's really brave of you and totally applaudable. Well done! It's a shame that people are so keen to fake a life they don't live on social media; to steal others' precious moments and make it their own. Or worse, to claim to have 'wonderful' relationships with people they don't see enough or care for. I can't applaud you enough for doing what you did. It's not easy but you don't have to be bullied into accepting others posting photos of your child when they clearly don't care about the child.

I often do for the sake of peace let things go but when it comes to my wee lass I am quite different. It's quite refreshing actually!

It's funny you say that about relationships. I have noticed that all of the couples who post regularly about how special their man/woman is and how amazing their life is usually break up lol!!

Totally agree! They make up lies to look for social proof when they should simply learn to accept themselves and be comfortable in their own skin, their life choices and the people in it. Otherwise they should change things. Unfortunately, they think it's easier to live in a bubble of lies that will eventually drown them. To me that's simply exhausting!

It is exhausting. If they could learn to be happy with who they are and what they have got it would be a fine thing.!

Awkward moments created by us are a beautiful thing. Particularly when they make ardent arse relatives squeamish.

may be you should try to be a little more nice to her. i have noticed that there are people who feels lonely and sad and they try to make themselves look happy by doing things. like posting happy pictures on social media. may be she is one of them or may be she is an arse, as you said. but she is family, so may be you should try to make a conversation with her. a gentle one.
but everything i am saying its just my opinion. i don't know her as you do. and i also get angry sometime by my few relatives.

If it was a stranger them perhaps I would be nicer. This one however I have known for a long time and know exactly what she is like!

then i hope you are totally right.

I agree with you especially with regard to privacy issues. I do not post pictures of my little one on FB due to security issue too...anyone can download the pic and use it as they want and parents have to protect their children...Steemit is the best because we all would have joined you Milord to flag the heck out of her post!!!! however only on your command Milord!!!!

I did miss the flag. It was my first response to think where the heck is the flag so I can show my disapproval!! Lol!!

Hahahah I agree with you. Hence why facebook is full of spams but you can report the particular post and they will remove it

I was sorely tempted to report it! I will do that if the second magically makes its way on :O)

I agree bud...you have to teach them a lesson before they learn not to post pictures of children on social media

I like where this is going, teach em a lesson. I am half filling a sock with dimes already, soon be cracking skulls! ;0)

Hahahaha ply MiLord , have mercy!!! do not crack skulls

i totally totally agree with you. BUT if they wanna STAY there on facebook i'm FINE with that too (but don't post pictures of relatives kids to gain SOCIAL TRACTION) ugh. RAGE.

Aw man I wish I could have word it like that. That is exactly what it was, to gain social traction!!!

I am happy if they stay there too, means I can post rants like this :0)

i rage when i see people saying that they can't wait until people from other social networks come here. erm, no thanks. they can stay exactly there. to 'that' crowd the internet IS facebook. i wish i had the coding skills to keep them constantly in conversations with AI bots they thought were family members, that would be so sweet.

Ha, that would be quite the thing. I am all for more and more users pouring in but I do hope a certain contingent stay where they are. O know some people who think exactly that, the internet is Amazon and Facebook. Yeek.

I hate, HATE it when people do that!
And trust me I don't use the word hate a lot because it's a very negative word for me. Using pics like that to gain traffic.... Sad and just wrong!
I agree 100% with all your words... she's an arse!

I am completely with you. It's rare for me to hate anything but I do hate that. Simply to get likes and views. Shocking stuff!

It's the sad reality of day to day (fake) life nowadays. People often pretend to be what they are totally not. Even before Facebook, when the cellular phones came, I heard people saying to someone over the call that they were some 100 miles away from me, when in reality they were right in front of me, not even 100 inches away.

Facebook and social media has multiplied the lie and people take the liberty to all extents. We need to sort our shit out.

High five to the little lady!

Consider the high five given!

It's very sad because it's true. I have seen the same kind of thing over and over again. People bragging of their amazing rich life style when they have cried in my company about the horrendous debt they are in and such stuff. It is a viral kind of madness.

To understand the current behavior of general human population on the internet, we will have to go back at least two centuries and see what abundance and progress have done to the human psychology. It has been wired in us to act in a certain way or the world will think of us in way that makes us feel uncomfortable.

The brainwashing has been strong.

It has been, hopefully we can move away from some of it as it becomes apparent

Hahahaha this made me laugh for real. Never actually thought of facebooks thieves before. Awesome man. Love when someone points out something I've never thought of (and I do have a tendency to think a lot) and makes me laugh at the same time. ;)

Hehe, it was the first term that came to mind!

Awesome name calling hehe :D I'll use this in real life :D

I feel slightly voyeuristic reading your family arguments, but I do love the drama! Maybe we can make a mini-soap? I'm happy to play the role of the Boomelia, but only if i get to wear some sort of Dolly Parton wig ( I love Dolly).

Lol, I love Dolly too, that would be a hilarious thing! I am all for mini soaps :0)

These are the realities of our life) Thanks for the wonderful post!

You are welcome! It is the realities sadly!

Hahahhaha....

You have all the right to stop her from Facebooking your lil princess again @meesterboom.

I bet if you didnt stop her about 20 pics will fly and Boomliea will be feeling so fly.....Best Auntie something🤣🤣😂

Exactly, a total false thing! I had to put the foot down :0)

She is being an arse & it's really rude to post photos of other people's children without their or at least their parent's consent.

I lived with 3 kids for 16 months & didn't share a single pic because it feels really creepy to me.

In a world with predators, you have every right to control how, if & when anyone posts photos of your kid.

Glad you set some boundaries & called her out. Maybe she'll get some integrity & stop fronting. She'll probably keep being an arse though. :P

Family!

You just can't do anything with family! You are absolutely right though. I never post photos of other people's kids unless someone has asked me too if it was at a party or something and they say oh post that for me please it's great and usually I have only taken it cos my daughter is in it!

... and that's why she's the good lady.

I would've slapped her for posting photos of my kids all over a social media platform. She probably posts about everything and anything...and she doesn't make a cent. Poor thing... she needs your hammer!!!

She needs the hammer and then some!!! I was quite annoyed. Some people have no idea of what's acceptable!

What ticks me off are those people who posts a million quotes of the day with a picture of themselves staring into the air and u know for real they dont live to the tag.

Yeah, they usually are the exact opposite!!

So true. That is why they are reminded i guess.

That brings to mind the saying, "you can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family."

Seeing as I'm now a full-time carer for my 82 year old father, and I haven't seen my sister who lives less than 5 miles away in 20 years. I can attest to that saying being very true! I'm glad you stood up for your little lady! and also for doing your bit to fight fake news. lol

Never has there been a more true saying!! When it comes to family I would believe anything. It's a sad state of affairs.

hahaha, that sums up all of social media. People trying to be something that they are not, just to impress other people. I have no problem admitting that I have a boring life and very little to post!

There is nothing wrong with that at all!! :0)

Good for you, they should have asked you first if they could post it, she is your daughter.

She definitely should have!

Oh meesterboom, I must commend you, I think that I would have seethe indignantly, not said a word and given out to my wife after they had left!

Again well since, we should all take a leaf out of your book!

Will in all fairness, she is one of the more irritating ones that I have always bumped heads with so it wasn't hard!!

meep

And then there were two is that what you are saying?

meep

I don't think it's so clear cut

I've never used Facebook but I've fallen out with everyone of my freinds who do over not having pictures posted when we're on the piss. Why does a bender with the lads need fucking recorded for posterity? It's annoying!

Oh aye that is really annoying. When they chronicle the night and you are like ffs, leave it!!!

Oh yes, I am very familiar with this sort. One of the main reasons I am a poor facebooker, I find it difficult to stomach, particularly when I know the reality of the situation.

kudos to you for calling her on it.

I do like to be a stroppy git at times :0)

I seriously need to start writing these phrases down, when the Scots next appear in my books, there will be a character who sounds a lot like the Boom!

Lol, that would be funny!!

Yea i hear you. I think everyone has some of those "weird" relatives who claim to be so loving and caring. And yes i think privacy is being taken so much for granted these days over facebook. It's your right being protective over your little girl.

It is and I think it is the basic issue of privacy that people forget.

You took the right and bold decision, she has no right to post it on facebook without your consent. After all you the little lady's father and she even visited you just after a year, it is not acceptable.

Yes the vast gulfs between visits were not the best. Then the strange ownership through Facebook. Yum, not impressed. Cheers for visiting mate!

thanx dear, I was super busy since last few days so could not visit you and support you. Sorry for it dear.

Never a need to apologise, life has a way if happening!!

So nice of you to understand us. Love you buddy.

Right back atcha!

Yup, she's an arse! I have a gigantic problem with people taking pictures of my children without consent and uploading them somewhere...boof... my head explodes. You made the right decision!

It's quite a thing isn't it!! She ain't the only one in my extended family. Heck even my brother take advantage and does it despite me telling him no!!

I am sure they'll feel otherwise when they have daughters too. I am more open to approve when I'm asked permission but it just pisses me off when they don't even ask.

Its all about the permission. If anyone asks then I am usually quite alright with it by the mere act of asking

I find your stories interesting. I already checked up one earlier about massacre... Keep the good work up bro

Thank you mate! I will do my best :O)

She's Hypocrat

What else

Keep steeming bro

Happy following

Cheers mate!

Nice like a nice family reunion! I must say you seem to be a very reasonable guy since you didn't kill the annoying 'arse'! And anyway, I think she should've asked for permission to post a picture of your daughter on the Internet!

Obviously I was on full diplomat mode or done crazy neck punching would have been in order: 0D

I think it's nice if someone asks permission but these days no one gives a hoot!

Agree totally, I just like seeing my grandkids on facebook when they do something nice because they are so far away, at least I get a little of them that way, my eyes are not good enough to see the photos they send on the phone. But would never put it on before asking permission from them.

Yeah, it's nice is the parents or the pics up for people far off to see. When someone does it on your behalf you are like oi, no!

Facebook is the scourge of the modern age, I can't wait until it's consigned to the dustbin of history.

Ah shared sentiment. Anyone outside my happy nucleus generally brings out the beastly foe in me. They are ALL arses! Mine and his alike. Simple minded, square old arses.

Yes indeed, I am with you there!

Yeah that is a shocker!

We are opened some or many of our lives to the world. Some things we wanted but some things we don't want. It is true that we can't neglect to keep important things. Thank you for sharing the story. @meesterboom
Hope to share this story with my visitors. I resteem it.

You are a champ lass!! Thank you!

I know people do this alot these days, they even go out just to take pictures and post it later on facebook. I personally find it irritating and really don't prefer wasting time in taking pictures whenever I go out with my friends and family and even if I take one or two pictures, I don't post it on my facebook. :P

Yeah I am with you there! It's an obsession!!

HA! Good on you for calling her out about it.

Yep, I think facebook and instagram are full of this kind of thing nowadays. It's even been given its own word... apparently this is called 'virtue signalling'.

So yeah when someone posts something for no other reason than to show others what a good/generous/kind/lovely/caring etc etc person they are.

For example when people post a message to someone who is clearly never going to read it...

Like so:

"I would just like to wish my grandma who died 3 years ago, a wonderful birthday. I miss you so much; the talks we had and the way we laughed. I think about you every day. From your ever-loving granddaughter, Miss Virtue. xxxxxxxx"

Erm.... I don't think she uses Facebook love! (Oh, but never mind, all your friends and family will see how wonderful you are).

Virtue signalling. Ha!

Also, I know a woman who now works as a 'comparison coach.'

In that she helps young people who are low in confidence because of all the comparing with others that happens on social media nowadays.

T'is a strange new world we live in....

Wow, I did not know that. Although I was fully aware of those sort of posts. The ones to dead relatives always irritated me the most. Or the passive aggressive ones to people who served them in a shop or something lol.

Strange times!!

Oh yes and those 'Open letter to....X Person'...

Get outta town! :)

Ooft, yeah! Them too. If you ain't going to eat it to their face they ain't gonna read it in your Facebook feed!!

Haha! Exactly! :)

:0)

Haha! You tell 'em, dude! Social media enable these people to post pictures like those to give them a facade that they're living a different life. A way to mask insecurities perhaps. Maybe her lack of a child is a probable cause?

Good thing those likes don't amount to anything. So, they're not draining any reward pool, they're just padding up their illusion of a life they're not living. I feel sorry for them. Oh, and you were definitely on the right there. Strictly speaking, the little lady is a minor, so her parents' consent is an absolute must before her picture is posted online. Shame, Boomella. Shame!

Shame indeed, I have half a minf to send her this link! She wouldn't recognise herself though. Such is the power of self deception!

Haha! What!? Haha! If she doesn't even recognize the events, then she's too far along to be redeemed. Maybe she got that from the other side of her family.

I hope that whatever she has though it's not contagious. I would hate to be so oblivious!!

For the sake of your soon-to-be-born child, I pray to the crypto gods that it's not!

Yes indeed! Fortunately an upbringing if she positive force would iron that out!

Could it? I mean, could it really? Nature vs nurture here. Well at least that gene didn't come from your side of the family, so that's a relief!

I have met one! I have met several!

There are also the people that I can't send photos to. If I send a photo, it will be blasted on Facebook in about 5 seconds. How? Did they even look at the photo? That's fast work! Hahaha.

Hehe, if they put the same effort into their real life they would be millionaires in business probably!!

Hahaha! Exactly!!!

Ooooooh yes, I do indeed know people like this I'm afraid.
I used to get so infuriated about being tagged inn photos and being dragged into all their nonsense, that in the end I came off facebook.

I know that kind of nonsense still carries on, but I don't want to be a part of it.

I have too start on the blooming thing to start in touch with done folk I know who have moved very far away. Otherwise I hardly open it at all

I'm confused reading this paper

interesting piece , upvoted

unfortunately I know many of those, who live a life of lies, have a real life and a poor life on facebook.
I am very sorry for what you had to spend dear friend @meesterboom, you have done very well in defending privacy.
Thank you very much for sharing this unpleasant experience.
I wish you a good start to the week

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