My name is Fred Lundgren. I am the ceo of KCAA Radio. I am a relatively new Facebook user, having first signed on in January of 2009 and only recently becoming active.
On the evening of February 8th, I was working on my Facebook WALL, networking, looking up old schoomates, and deleting ads and so forth. Suddenly, when I deleted an ad, the interface changed to something unrecognizable and very awkward.
I'm not sure if my deletions were related to the switch, but the change of interface seemed to occur simultaniously with the deletion.
I soon realized that I was offered no choice but to (Publish) the alternative, "TIMELINE". I tried for an hour without success to revert back to my Facebook Wall but it was gone.
I now assume it is gone forever.
I am now learning that our familiar FB page format and settings are being destroyed and we have no control. I am only a novice user so I am not totally certain as the method Facebook used to put me into the new system, but I know it is defeating all my efforts to revert back to my wall.
I searched for a forum on Google and this is what I found.
First, you may want to click this link to see the future of your facebook page!
Question from Fred Lundgren
How do I get back to my Facebook wall after I am forced to use timeline?
Answers from Forum...Daniel B Lancaster
I'm afraid you can't. Timeline actually replaces the wall.
I have written the following FAQ as a total source of all the information you could want on the Timeline, or at least on the topic of getting rid of Timeline. I hope this helps...
Q: How do I remove/delete/disable the Timeline and revert back to my old profile!?
A: You can't. Facebook doesn't allow it.
This is the first question everyone asks upon learning about Timeline. Facebook wants to force everyone to upgrade and they aren't offering any way out right now. This is why we need to protest and let Facebook know that as the 800,000,000 users of this site, we deserve a vote in how things are run!
Q: Can I complain to Facebook and tell them I want my old profile back?
A: YES, you can! PLEASE do so!
You can also CALL Facebook at (650) 543-4800 and press 7 to leave a message.
(It does not require you to donate to the site to sign. If you get a message asking for a domation then you have already signed the petition. No further action is needed.)
In addition, I also recommend joining the following Pages/groups to help show how many people dislike Timeline
Q: What is the official date for Timeline to become mandatory for all Facebook users?
A: The last official word from Facebook was "Within the next few weeks" without listing an exact date.
Facebook first stated that everyone would have it by the end of December, but they missed that deadline. They set another deadline in January which they also missed. After that they stopped giving deadlines. There are still a lot of bugs in the Timeline which is probably slowing down the process to implementing it. Plus, there is a huge public backlash aginst the Timeline, so hopefully they are reonsidering if they can really force this on us. All we can do for now is keep the pressure on them and keep reminding them how much we hate the Timeline.
There is a rumor that Feb 10th is the date, but that is only a rumor as far as I know.
Q: Can the Timeline endanger my privacy or safety?
A: Most likely, yes.
Several groups have asked the Fedral Trade Comission to investigate Timeline and many websites on the internet have wanred people about possible privacy issues. I have also seen people stating that Timeline has made previously hidden posts visible and even brought back posts they previously deleted. If these are bugs or if Timeline is designed to do this I don't know.
One aspect of Timeline that is undeinably a threat is that it makes it much easier for anyone who can view your profile to search through your older posts. So if you have posts from several years ago which you may have been okay with being posted at the time, but wouldn't be okay with them being visible to your current friends or your boss or anyone else who currently has access to your profile, you will need to go back and delete all those posts.
Also, the Timeline is designed to request and allow you to post FAR more information than the previous profile design. This is so Facebook has more information to use to profile you for targeted ads, but it can also lure you into revealing information that could be of use to identity theives, stalkers or other internet threats. I strongly recommend NOT adding any new information to your Timeline that you didn't post with the previous profile.
Visit this link for some suggestions of ways to help secure your new Timeline profile:
Q: Why does my browser keep jumping back to the top of the screen when I'm looking at a Timeline?
A: The Timeline profile has to "refresh" itself to show new posts, which causes it to jump back to the top of the screen. Many users have complained about this "feature" of the Timeline.
Q: Why is Facebook forcing people to switch to the Timeline?
A: Money, mostly.
Although only Mark Zuckerberg could really answer this question, there are a lot of theories, pretty much all of them boil down to money. Facebook earns a large amount of money from selling your personal information you post on the site to advertisers who, in turn, try to sell you things Facebook says you want. If Timeline gets you to post more information, then Facebook earns more money.
Here is an article every Facebook user should see on the topic of how Facebook is going to earn money off of you:
Q: Should I delete my Facebook profile if I don't want to be forced to use Timeline?
A: If you feel ready to go that far, YES, you should!
The number one thing Facebook fears is losing money. They way Facebook will lose money is if they lose advertisers. The only way Facebook will lose advertisers is if they lose users, since there will be fewer people for the advertisers to try to sell stuff to. If Facebook starts to lose enough people because of Timeline, then they may decide it is in the best interests of their bottom line to let us have our old profile back.
To delete your account use this form:
I also suggest reading this GREAT article from a security expert who did delete his Facebook profile because of Timeline:
Q: Someone told me to download some software from a site outside of Facebook to remove Timeline. Will this work?
A: NO, I will say again that it is NOT POSSIBLE TO REMOVE TIMELINE.
These thrid party programs are called "User Switching Agents" and how they work is by making it appear as though you are using an older version of Internet Explorer 7 which Facebook no longer supports. Because there is no support for these older browser versions, you will not be able to SEE Timeline. However, the creators of these programs will not tell you about the serious drawbacks of using their software.
First of all, these programs only prevent YOU from SEEING Timeline. Just because you can't see it doesn't mean it is gone. Your profile will NOT revert back to the old style and other people will still see your Timeline. Secondly, making your browser appear to be outdated can also interfere with other features of Facebook besides the Timeline, as well as other internet websites. Lastly, these browser extensions are not available for all browsers and are not available at all for mobile devices. Plus, if you access Facebook from a work computer you may not have premission to download software at all in the first place. So this "solution" is a long way from being complete.
I also personally object to the spammers who try to con people into downloading this software. The creator of one User Switching Agent called "FB Purity" has personally insulted and harassed myself and other people who refused to download his software. I've seen him call people stupid, immature and even insane for not wanting to download his software. He has also insulted my religious beliefs and those of other people. I don't know why this guy feels the need to be such an asshole, but I personally won't download software from someone who behaves that way and I don't recommend anyone else do so either.
What I do recommend is that people take the time to let Facebook know about their displeasure with Timeline and demand that we be given an option to keep our old profiles. Spammers spreading links to ineffective third-party software are not helping the situation. Instead, they are helping Facebook by spreading confusion, misconceptions and dissention.
Q: Isn't it true the majority of Facebook users like Timeline and everyone else will eventually get used to it?
A: NO, that is a lie being spread by Facebook (and Facebook fanboys) to discourage people from protesting the Timeline. It is a proven FACT that the VAST MAJORITY of users hate the Timeline and want to keep their old profile.
There have been SEVERAL polls run by multiple different websites which support the opinion that 50% or more of Facebook users are opposed to the Timeline.
Here is an MSNBC article which states 51% of users were "worried" about the Timeline and another 32% "didn't know why they still used Facebook" in the first place
CNET also posted an article stating that at least 70% of users "want to see the new [Timeline] feature bite the dust
Q: Isn't it true that people only dislike Timeline because they fear change? Won't everyone just get used to it?
A: NO, that is a lie being spread by Facebook (and Facebook fanboys) to discourage people from protesting the Timeline. There are MANY valid reasons to hate Timeline aside from being opposed to change.
You don't need to be an old person, be a technophobe or hate change in order to hate Timeline. The assumption that we don't know how to use Timeline or that we should "get used to it" misses the real point.
Timeline is overly complicated and ugly. It looks like Myspace and dozens of other crappy social networking websites that people specifically came to Facebook to AVOID. By forcing this overly complex layout on us it takes away exactly what we all liked most about Facebook. This site was never meant to be a scrap booking website, it is meant to be a social networking site where I can communicate in the most direct and concise format possible. Once that is taken away from us then we really have no further reason to be here.
And I think the real issue at hand here is not the Timeline itself, but the fact that it is being FORCED on us when Facebook is well aware that the majority of users hate it and want to keep their current profiles. That is just a slap in the face and proof that Facebook is not respecting the users of this site. If Facebook won't respect us then we SHOULD take our profiles and the value that our personal information holds to a site that will respect us (or we should take our information off the internet entirely).
