This section provides guidance about Facebook - Pages and Groups. Because Facebook's features are constantly being upgraded, if you need help with specific aspects of Facebook, then use:
1. Facebook's own online Help pages
2. Facebook groups that offer help with Facebook: post queries, get replies
3. Google!
Facebook
Facebook provides an outstanding opportunity to share information with others - but many people are wary of using Facebook, however useful it may be. Some people worry about the amount of influence that Facebook as a company has. It also owns WhatsApp and Instagram.
Before you set up a Facebook Page or Group, find out how many of your members have Facebook accounts. If there aren't many, you may wish to set up a Page (to attract non-members) rather than a Group.
3 of the most common concerns about Facebook are:
1. Receiving too many email notifications: you can restrict the amount of information that is sent to you - from almost nothing, to a notification every time a Friend makes a post.
2. Having my account hacked: this can be prevented by setting up "2 factor authentication" described in the attached file "Setting up Facebook." This means someone has to know both your email address (and password) AND your mobile phone number if they want to log in as you.
3. Facebook will "steal" my data. The answer is "don't post anything you don't want to share." When you sign up for a Facebook account, you don't have to give all the info they ask for & you don't have to be truthful!
Facebook Pages
A Facebook Page is always public, and is like an online poster, advertising your u3a group to others. It can be a good way of advertising to prospective new u3a members.
You can keep a Page active indefinitely, OR you can create a Page especially for an event. You can archive a Page and bring it out again later. For example, if you run an annual event, archiving a Page can save you time when you want to advertise it again.
Facebook Groups
A Facebook Group is can be "open" or "closed". It provides a shared space where Group members can share their views and information. If a Group's closed, no-one else can see this info. If it's open, people can see the info but can't contribute to it without joining the Group.
u3a nationally has a private Facebook Group called Keeping in Touch which members can join.
Setting up a Facebook Group
When you set a Facebook Group up, use a dummy email address, e.g. AAdmin@gmail.com so that the Admin account is aligned to your u3a group rather than to an individual person.
A Page or Group needs Admins, at least two people. Depending on how you set up your Facebook group, you may need your Admin person to authorise access to the group. There are some tasks only Admins can do - like setting up Facebook Adverts or archiving Pages. Admins can take away or suspend members' access to Facebook pages - and they are the people who monitor and reply to any emails to the page or group. Being an Admin isn't difficult or technical - you just need to read the Admin screen to find the info you need.
Please select the support material from LINKS