I wanted to talk a bit about Facebook and its relationship to my blog.  In recent weeks, Facebook has changed it’s algorithms drastically, and since they are rarely open or forthcoming about what they do, it only becomes clear to people after the software geniuses figure it out.

What they have been doing is radically changing the formula for deciding which posts go out to which people. They wish to profit from that more than they already are by charging for wide distribution.

They claim these changes are to make Facebook friendlier to like-minded groups. Aside from the fact this seems a horrific idea to me in this polarized world, the end result has been that posts from people like me, and blogs like mine, are being shared very selectively, nobody really knows why. But we can guess.

If you are only reading my work on Facebook,  you are now only receiving only a small fraction of it. Although my blog traffic is up, I can see that comments and interactions on the Facebook Page are down. I’m sorry to say my suspicions have been confirmed.

The prevailing theory among the techs is that Facebook is trying to force users to purchase ads and “likes,” I am bombarded with requests from them to pay for things that have been free – like how many people see how much of my work. So it’s almost certainly about money.

In recent weeks, I’ve got a flood of messages from people complaining that they only see a few of my posts, one a day or one or two every or so. I am puzzled by these requests since I am nothing if not prolific, I write just about every day on the blog – vacation the only exception – and more than once.

My readers are concerned, for which I am grateful,  that they are not seeing the entire blog, and they are right.  Some thing I’ve given up the blog entirely.

Some thing it’s because they are not donating or getting a paid subscription. This is not so.

My blog is posted in its entirely to Facebook and my Facebook Page, but I have no control over what Facebook’s software is sending out to you. That formula has clearly changed, even though they haven’t told anyone about it. My blog is free to anyone, and can be accessed easily without Facebook.

One of these days, I may remove my blog from Facebook entirely, I am not comfortable with the direction they seem to be going in. Facebook has been invaluable to me in growing the blog and bringing my work to more people. But I also have faith in the blog, it can stand on its own, and I can always post my blog to Facebook if people wish to read it there.

The new algorithm feels a bit like extortion to me, it is clearly meant to force me and others to pay for readership,  and since I now allow comments directly on the blog, I can make the leap if I decide to. The blog will continue to be posted on FB either way, I have a lot of followers there, but I won’t pay to have the posts send out to the wider audience.

I want to emphasize  that my blog is free, all anyone has to do to receive it is enter their e-mail address here. There is a sign-up page on the upper left hand side of the Farm Journal main page. The blog will be delivered to your inbox every day, you can cancel it simply and easily. I do not ever check to see who is donating to my work or who isn’t.

This has nothing to do with donations or voluntary payments. I thank you for supporting my work, but that is not necessary in order for you to receive the blog. I will never abandon the people who have stayed with me these years, the blog will always be free, whether you have money or not.

If you care to support my work and help support the blog, you can donate anytime and in any amount here, there is a donation button on the bottom of every post.  You can also make voluntary payments monthly or annually. You can do that here.

These contributions support my blog and my work with the refugees and Mansion residents. Without them, none of these things would be possible.

But the blog will always be free and you can easily get it delivered to your mailbox every day for free.

You also simply go visit the Bedlam Farm Journal page anytime on  your computer or smart phone.

I just wanted to let you know what Facebook is doing, since they will not tell you, and they do not believe in permitting their users to speak with anyone there.  They are not accountable for anything they do. Lets just say they believe in us sharing, but would rather not themselves. They are, in most ways,  just another greedy corporation.

Thanks.