[JasonB]

Facebook and Instagram have both removed my weekly Digest post without explanation. 

I can't even begin to imagine why, it was as inoffensive as it's possible to be. Mind you, we did once have a post removed for the heinous crime of using the term "HO", at least I think that might have been the reason, but they don't tell you.

That's the problem with AI, or anything approaching it. It's high on the artificial and low on the intelligence.

[woodcote]

Sadly, Facebook's algorithms only recognise one meaning of "ho". Loads of slot car posts get lost that way.

When we set up Worthing HO Racing, those people not acquainted with the jargon of slot cars, model railways or American street slang assumed the name was word-play on the Devon village Westward Ho! or sayings like "what-ho!" or "land-ho!" - the vernacular in this part of the world being closer to 1950s BBC English...

Equally, no-one has ever come to the Barn and been disappointed that we're racing slot cars and not loose women...

Context like this is something AI really struggles with.

[Kevan]

FB is great for advertising, causing trouble, keeping airheads interested but useless for learning anything useful about long established hobbies as it's full of newbies who think they just invented the wheel when in reality it was debunked about 40 years ago.

[KensRedZed]

I have no use for FaceFart. Somehow, I'm still surviving without it. Very interesting. 

[munter]

and never abbreviate the word transmission.

I like facebook and use it a lot.
You see many of the same experts there as you do here on the forums.
They are both slightly different forms of the same thing.

[Kevan]

I like facebook and use it a lot.
You see many of the same experts there as you do here on the forums.
They are both slightly different forms of the same thing.

Biggest difference is these posts will still be here in 2033 whereas on FB you'll never find them again after today, that's why I hate it, noobs are constantly asking the same questions because there's no knowledge to read through.

[JasonB]

Facebook can be quite useful, and if we want to get young people interested in the hobby, or attract visitors here to the site, it's kind of essential.

I've always believed that there is a place for both ephemeral and evergreen content. Social media is of course the epitome of ephemeral content, it's here today and gone tomorrow, you get a few likes but after a few days it's gone.

Some of the links on our home page might be classed as evergreen content as they will hopefully be relevant for quite some time to come. In fact our rudimentary web stats suggest that our articles on the sidebar of the home page get a decent amount of traffic, and this tends to build up over time, rather than drop off, as ephemeral content inevitably does.

A forum that's sensibly organised, is I believe, the perfect middle ground where both can co-exist, and I think that's really important.

In short, we're trying to cover all the angles, and encourage everybody to get involved in this wonderful hobby in whatever way they see fit.

I still don't know why Facebook and Instagram have deleted our posts, but thankfully I still seem to be allowed to post my usual nonsense here.

[Henk]

I wonder what will happen with Santa Claus coming winter, with his ho ho ho ;)

[munter]

Biggest difference is these posts will still be here in 2033 whereas on FB you'll never find them again after today, that's why I hate it,
noobs are constantly asking the same questions because there's no knowledge to read through.

All correct observations Kevan.

However the number of participants seems to have overtaken forums by a lot.

If I am not mistaken you have your own slotcar page?

I run MVD resins, which is for scratchbuilds using resin bodies. I am happy with membership numbers of 2200 approximately in the two years since It began.
However my dog walking group only has 230 members, no biggie.

See you on Facebook in 2033.
Regards from your friend!!!

[Kevan]

I do have a couple of pages, club members read my posts, I created them to store useful links and info for my own use in future.

I also post club race results with links to the two forums pages with those reports in the hope people will click through and join in here.

Some people 'don't do forums' much like some 'don't do FB'

It's funny but typing that lot has made me realise maybe it is a useful resource as long as you use it and not let it use you.