// December 28th, 2008 // No Comments » // Tech News
I am currently using Ping.fm to make status updates to a host of Social Networks. It’s a awesome service, which i am happy about. It had a list of social services, which i was not part of and I randomly chose Bebo to Join.
The sign up page was so simple and I thought “Ok, these guys don’t ask me too many information.” Then the usual search page came up, where I will be able to give my mail id and they will find my contacts who are present in Bebo. They found mine and about handful of them were already there, it also gave some friend suggestions and usual list of non-members whom I can invite.
It was all fine untill then.. They had three “Add Friends” buttons, as if they were for 3 different sections – Existing Members, Friend Suggestions and Non-Members. I checked out some of the existing members and clicked ‘Add Friends’ button at the top, which i thought was for existing members.
The next moment it moved me to the next page of profile completion and then i realized my stupidity… I have been fooled at last to send mails on behalf of Bebo to all my contacts requesting them to join Bebo. I have been double careful in sending invites. I have never asked anyone, who is not part of any site to join that site because i feel it’s like spamming and wasting their time.
I get 100’s of such invites from my friends each week and i used to scold them in my mind for sending such invites. It’s sheer spamming of your mail box according to me. If some one is already there, then it’s good to join their network but not forcing someone to join them. I have been so careful in using my contacts. But this time Bebo cleverly cheated me in to it with 3 Buttons.
1. They didn’t have a single announcement on what action will happen on 3 different buttons.
2. They didn’t have a Uncheck all button for the Non-Members.
3. Not even a message after sending the mails.
I accept it’s my mistake to think that there were 3 different buttons but how come I would know that these are same action buttons. If they can fool a normal tech savvy person like me to send invitations, they can definitely cheat some of my friends, who are not at all tech savvy.
My Apologies
1. For sending you spam invitations from my mail id for Bebo
2. For scolding some of my friends who sent me such invitations
The End Result
I cancelled the account in Bebo and I am never going to join it. And I advice you not to join too. Has any one got the same experience with any of social networks, post your thoughts.
P.S: I got this Tweet from Twetteurd on this @sylvianpatrick stay away from crap like Bebo, tagged etc… They’re not social networking…they’re more like phishing..lol..
