D-Zero

Exact equivalent of the old newspaper classifieds, isn't it?  But yes, I've found Marketplace terrible for no-shows - best kept for purely local stuff.

And yes, FB is handy for the stuff you mention. I'd have lost touch with lots of old colleagues without it - we have no need to communicate, but it's nice know how they're doing.

There's a growing trend to dunp Facebook - for numerous reasons: privacy, democratic interference, the fact that it's really 'not cool' among under 30s - it's for Grannies and Karens (no offence meant to the resident OK junkie). I guess they hook them via whatsapp and insta instead.... although the latter needs to have some serious questions to answer about its pervasive effect on mental health - especially among young women.

TBH - the only reason I still have 'The Facebook' is because of the buying and selling group Ruscoe and I set up years ago.... purely off the back of this forum.  Although Jeffers and Nessa do most of the admin these days as I rarely log on and Russ is too busy with his bikes.  We've got over 30,000 members on that now.... it must be one of the largest 'dinghy' groups on Facebook, certainly from a UK-centric perspective.

If you want a halfway house in dumping Facebook, but still need an account for practical reasons, then I can highly recommend starting a new profile with ZERO 'friends' and no brand/page likes.  It totally f**ks with the advertising algorithms and you get some right interesting friends suggestions as it tries to profile you.

The biggest advantage is you don't get those awkward moments when Billy from your Year 9 Airfix Club shares a Tommy Robinson video.... and as we're coming up to September, it's great to know I won't be subjected to those damn school uniform photos.  

Agreed, however it seems the way of the world now. Never will you see a 6 year old thread reappear on Facebook. Where as on a forum you can search. Forums can build a huge and useful knowledge base. But these days people need their social media fix.