How safe is facebook?

[kristina]

Hello,
Over the past few years I have been considering to join Facebook and wondering about it, but I am still not quite sure about it. How are your experiences with Facebook?
Because I have not had art-exhibitions for many years (due to "you know what"...), there is no possibility for people interested in my artwork to contact me.
A colour-lithograph of one of my paintings is presented on the Internet through an Auction House and I have been wondering whether I should join Facebook?

On the other hand, could it not make me extremely vulnerable if I joined Facebook ? I mention this, because "in the old days" I was only approachable during exhibitions, whereas through Facebook I would be approachable at all times ...? And I am wondering : how safe is the Internet and how kind and safe is Facebook? Could there be regrets coming along later on?
Many thanks for your thoughts and ideas about this conundrum from Kristina.

[Simon Dog]

Ever consider selling it as a NFT?

[kristina]

... What a great idea ... and many thanks, Simon! I immediately researched about NFT on the Internet and it does look professional and indeed very promising and I thank you very much for this wonderful idea.
Mind you, these are my future-dreams (on an optimistic day), in the hope, that my ongoing medical problems might finally "come across" a serious professional medic, who is willing and prepared to assist and help me to "sort things out" and perhaps after that there might be a chance for me to eventually continue with my career ... Many thanks again for this wonderful uplifting idea from Kristina.

[UkrainianTracksuit]

NFTs aside, to address your original question about the safety of Facebook, or social media in general.



You're as vulnerable as you let yourself be in all honesty.



If one is a gullible person, that gullibility will extend into how they interact on social media.



Yes, you want people to contact you in order to sell your art, but it does not mean you need to interact with everyone that sends you a message. If you are strict about your personal information and what you share, they can't particularly do much with that information. (It's the algorithms, data storage, privacy and intrusion by corporations/government by the big tech companies that turn people off social media.) If you receive a message and the account does not look legit to you (there are ways), you obviously ignore, block and move on.



Those that are genuinely interested about the purchase of artwork could contact you either in comments or the private messaging function. They will ask relevant questions about the pieces versus general random comments. You can judge the seriousness through the tone of their conversations. Ha, when I had to take investigator training, it came down to always scrutinizing statements along these lines.



You can also set up an email just for your artwork (not tied to your personal one) that you can set up the account as well as use tell potential customers to contact to see if they follow through. Once again, if the message looks fishy, you don't have to interact with it or the person. 



Since you hope to use the page for artwork and not your personal life, you always could set up a Page versus a personal account. So, your artist name like a business, upload photos of your art, basic text (or whatever you want to include), and means of contact. You share as much personal (or as little) information as you want. 

Obviously, personal information enters into the mix when it comes to payment and shipment. You could set up a Royal Mail PO Box if you are concerned about your personal address.

If you prefer to focus on photos of your artwork, Instagram might work well for you too. Since it is picture focused and a small amount of text (Name of artwork, information you want to share about it, price) is normal. Then you can hashtag all relevant topics so that you can achieve a wider audience for sales. This requires a smartphone, but there are workarounds if you want to remain using a desktop.



I've bought lots of one of a kind fashion creations through social media. Neither the buyer (myself) nor the seller had any issues. Recently, I purchased a carpet from Uzbekistan. I wouldn't know about it if it wasn't for social media. Such a thing is not a cheap purchase, let's just say. I checked out comments made by individuals about this seller and googled to see if there were upset customers. It looked good. Besides what they've shared about their business, I don't know anything about them personally.

Again, you're only as vulnerable as you let yourself be.

[SooMK]

I quit FB after quite a few years. I do miss seeing what some of my far flung family and old friends are up to. I'm always thinking about signing up again but FB does nothing to respect your privacy. To UT's point, it's good to peruse the privacy settings to limit your vulnerability as much as that's possible.

For your purposes you could consider Etsy. They have many people selling their original artwork and crafts. If you combine it with some of the other tips mentioned (email just for your artwork biz, etc), this could be a good venue.

Hope you're back at it soon!

[UkrainianTracksuit]

SooMK is so right! I second the Etsy suggestion. The messaging system there is simple yet discreet also.

[Simon Dog]

Sothebys if you can get them to take your stuff.

[kristina]

Many thanks again UkrainianTracksuit, SooMK and Simon Dog for your great suggestions, your thoughts are very much appreciated and give me inspiring ideas of how to approach my artistic future, if and when I get "you know what" sorted out ...

Being an artist creates sometimes a problem because many artists are very sensitive, but because of the nature of being an artist, they are also being "forced"  to "go" very public with exhibitions etc., where many of them also have to make an occasional speech etc. and in a way that can create a problem, because if they were not sensitive, they would not be able to produce their thought-out artistic-sensitive work. But, at the same time they are being "forced" to be very public and by explaining publicly some of their artist-painting-techniques, they also "sell" their art etc. and that can be a bit difficult at times. That is one of the reasons, why many real artists prefer to keep themselves in the background and let their art speak ... 

The reason why I have never approached any Galleries etc., is, because many of them are known to "put" artists into a no-win situation by claiming too high a percentage of each and every sale. I also have met one artist who stopped painting altogether, in order to avoid further contact with the persistent Gallery to whom he "belonged" by contract (they had his signature) and this Gallery took such a high percentage of selling his paintings, that he could not take the stress of this "slavery" any longer, and since he could not live on the little money this Gallery left him to live on, he gave it up altogether.

As a result of having spoken to other artists, I have always kept my independence by hiring a space for my exhibitions, then I  always organized a private view (with some wine and cheese etc) for invited guests (art-critics, newspapers etc.) and that kept me as independent as is possible (touch wood it continues like that if I can get back to my artistic work).

Sotheby's and Christie's also claim their percentage, of course, but at least these auction houses have a very good (as good as is possible) reputation and they also happen to be very classy at "it" and, having been accepted by an auction house is always a very good reference for an artist, because these auction houses only employ reliable art-critics etc., who keep a watchful eye on the art-world ...

As you can see, this is all very complicated and difficult and mistakes can be very easily made ...

Many thanks again for your kind thoughts, it is very much appreciated and hopefully one day I can continue with my artistic work and career  ...

P.S. In case you were wondering about the above-mentioned colour-lithograph of one of my paintings, presented on the Internet through an Auction House: it was put-up for auction by the former owner, an organisation  ...

... And many thanks again for your kind & constructive and very thoughtful inputs, they are very helpful and have assisted me a lot to get a clearer picture. Since the Internet has moved forward such a lot during the past few years, some careful thinking is very much needed these days and I shall keep all your wonderful thoughtful ideas and kind suggestions in mind. Many thanks again from Kristina.

[Riki]

The good thing about Facebook and other social media platforms, is that if it does get to be too much for you, you can always delete your account

[kristina]

The good thing about Facebook and other social media platforms, is that if it does get to be too much for you, you can always delete your account

Dear Riki, it is so good to "see" you again and many thanks for kind message, it is very much appreciated.
Kind regards from Kristina.

[frugallyzing]

It is not. Well, basically the internet isn't.

[kristina]

It is not. Well, basically the internet isn't.

Many thanks for your thoughts, frugallyzing ... and I send you my kind regards from Kristina.

[Hereware]

Most of the famous websites like facebook, gmail, paypal, bank sites are quite safe. However, there is nothing called 100% safe in cyber world. Facebook, Google etc tech giants employ best of the qualified people for Cyber Security.

Maybe you can try Etsy or Shopify to sell your artwork

[frugallyzing]

Don't put personal stuff online and don't entertain people especially when they're asking for favors.

[kristina]

Many thanks again Hereware and frugallyzing for your thoughts and ideas, I shall be very careful and thank you again very much, Kristina.