Mind if I check my facebook?

[DrFaroohk]

I know how much it sucks not having internet access, and I totally don't mind someone popping onto their facebook or myspace or e-mail to see if someone wrote back yet or to get in touch with their cousin in California or something like that. I'm fine with it, because I myself have been without internet access before and appreciated everyone who ever let me on their computer.

So if you come over to my house to hang out and are like "Hey, mind if I check my facebook?" they are more than welcome to! I'm generous like that. I don't mind sharing.

But "checking facebook" is a little bit different than surfing the internet. We have a couple of acquaintances who are starting to abuse their internet privileges. They come over, "Check facebook", and then spend an hour or two just randomly surfing the internet. They'll read all the status updates, play one of the dumb games, look up people, then they also need to have tunes on, and need to check youtuibe videos, but after a while it's not even looking up specific things. It's just scrolling through lists of crap hoping to find something interesting.

This morning one of them came over and interupted shit we were doing to "check her facebook". Baby was watching a movie on the computer, but we were like "fine, go ahead. We don't mind pausing it for a few minutes." Hour and a half later she was finally done.

Sometimes we even tell them flat out that it's time to get off and they still keep on there. "Hey dude I gotta get on WoW for a raid in like 5 minutes." "Ok dude...hey let's watch biggest loser!"

We're going to have to say something to them, but even that sucks. I hate them for even putting us into the position of having to bring it up and tell them to lay off the internet for a minute. If they want to spend that much time on the net, they can spend 40 a month for highspeed at their own houses.

[Eisa]

I'd be pissed, too. There's definitely a limit there. If they have their own computer, why couldn't they go to, say, a coffee shop that has high-speed? All you have to do is buy a drink or two, and you can be on the Internet as long as you want [depending on the place, of course]. Or the public library. Or, if they're in school, the college computer lab. There are a lot of places to access Internet now without availing yourself of your friend's Internet for hours at a time.

But yeah. "Checking FB/email/whatever" is one thing. Staying on there for hours is quite another. Although I usually end up doing that myself, the Internet is addictive, dang it!

[Amanita]

I suspect my friend would start doing this on her roommate's computer if he let her use it to check emails. And of course, she would not want to kick in a fair amount to help pay for her surfing-nothing more than $10. No more, not a cent. After all, the internet is just another thing to get money out of her.

[Sarah Valentine]

I would just flat out tell them that the library has free computers to use, otherwise if you're not checking your FB status it's gonna be $20 every 5 minutes.

[Cats]

I say pull the plug on them...literally. Give them a time limit, and if they go over it? Pull out the ethernet cable, right in front of them if you have to. Some people will take advantage of your kindness and walk all over you as long as you continue to let them do so.

[NateSean]

Seconding Cats.

Don't put your kids through what I had to go through growing up because my mother wouldn't stand up to her sisters whenever they came over to our house. Put your foot down and don't let them invade your home like this.

[bhskittykatt]

You're going to start being firm with your limits, especially if they aren't returning any favors. It sounds like your friends are taking advantage of you.

I'm lenient on stuff like that if they return favors (say, pitch in for dinner or help me with chores), but I can't stand flat-out moochers.

[Andara Bledin]

What Cats and NateSean said.

Set a limit, then force compliance, since they can't be relied upon to comply on their own.

If they have a problem with it, bummer. They can get their own net and stop abusing yours.

^-.-^