Friday word: Vaguebooking

[med_cat]

Vaguebooking is any update on a social network (although primarily Facebook) that is intentionally vague. Status updates which fall under the category of vaguebooking can be long or short, but most comprise just a few simple words. Regardless of the length they all have one thing in common – to elicit a response from friends and followers.

While the majority of us will just be clear about something that has happened or why we’re upset, vaguebookers take great delight in beating around the metaphorical bush. Seeking attention while giving away as little as humanly possible.

Definition from the Urban Dictionary, and a few examples

A few more examples (you can even submit the ones you find)

Why it's usually not a good idea:

5 Reasons Vaguebooking is Destroying Your Relationships

The next time your friend posts a vague FB status, reply with this video

A slightly different perspective:

In Defense of Vaguebooking

Comments

[theidolhands.livejournal.com]

A lot of modern words and terms are crass or obnoxious, this one has proven VERY useful in my vocabulary and can even extend a little beyond Facebook -- though, like "virtue signaling", I was glad to finally have a simple way to describe something that was annoying me (as well as clearly explaining WHY it was so annoying). I have one friend who does this way too much.

I refuse to take the bait any more. I used to know people on LiveJournal who did this, but I hang with a better class of people these days. I find one should be very wary of people who do #vaguebooking often -- at best it's immaturity, at worst it's manipulation and emotional blackmail. Basically a form of being a drama queen, AND it is possible to do negative or positive vaguebooking. Both seek attention.

For some reason, having a word/term for it, helps to make it a little less annoying.

[med_cat]

Yes! It's something I'd seen people do--I am not acquainted with most of them any longer; not on LJ much really, but on FB, a lot, and Twitter, now and then.

And yes, I too find the term useful; came across it recently and looked it up further.

Also, you are quite right, it is attention-seeking, in most cases--IMHO, if one has something one wants to say, one should say it; if it would be unwise to say it to a larger group, then don't say it! Save it for private chats and/or private diaries...

And as people pointed out in comments to the article "in defense of vaguebooking", what the author describes isn't really vaguebooking _per se_...

(What is "virtue signaling", btw? Not come across that term before)

[theidolhands.livejournal.com]

I tell you what, I'll define it tomorrow, but it's basically the new & trendy way of being holier-than-thou.

[med_cat]

Ah, thought it might be something like that, from how it sounded! And yes, good plan re: tomorrow; looking forward to it :)