Facebook works best when you don't use it :) I prefer in-person discussions. If that's not possible, calling > texting > email > physical mail. every other solution is irrelevant to me.
I don't know about you but I have many family members who have practically given up on using email for important announcements like wedding, birth etc. People use Facebook for such communication needs because it is lot more convenient than email.
Also, not sure if you noticed but Facebook messaging provides a "return receipt" feature by default. So you know if and when your message (email) is picked up. Try doing that with the free email accounts like gmail, hotmail etc.
I'm in the fortunate situation where people in my social circle still prefer phone and email to facebook and twitter :)
"announcements like wedding, birth etc"
I don't know about your social circles, but in mine those announcements demand in-person discussion or phone calls. Even email feel crass for announcing a birth.
"Also, not sure if you noticed but Facebook messaging provides a "return receipt" feature"
Run your own resolver on 127.0.0.1, and your own authoritative nameserver on 127.0.53.1, and configure the resolver to ask the nameserver (returning NXDOMAIN) for
* facebook.com
* doubleclick.net
* google-analytics.com
* su (abuse)
* 2o7.net
* any others you want; get ideas from the MVPS hosts file
Since facebook domains (fbcdn.net, facebook.net, etc.) are all serviced by facebook.com nameservers, returning NXDOMAIN for *.facebook.com will thereby sabotage all facebook related queries. This way you won't have to play whack-a-mole with future facebook tracking hosts, so long as they use facebook.com nameservers.
Or hell, just create a list of prefixes announced & owned by AS32934, Facebook, and block all. Just to be sure.
