Like the wild wild West. Eh?

I always say, if you won't say it in public then don't say it on Facebook.

Facebook and other media offer extensions of what take place in living rooms, bars, salons, street encounters, everyday life without the face to face interaction (thought that is changing so in-person to in-person might be the better phrasing). I take the approach to the media as I do to my interactions and participate or not as reflects MY choices and interests.

I just joined facebook this week. I wanted to see what all the hype was about. I still don't quite get it.

This is a very timely discussion for me as I just defriended someone, after discussing it with other friends, exactly for the reasons you state. It's not that I don't believe Facebook is not for politics, in fact, I don't believe that it should be restricted in that way. The reason I finally defriended this person (ironically I ran into him in the real world just a few days later for the first time in several years) was because I found his posts extremely offensive. If I was having a live discussion with him, I would have just ended the discussion. Since it wasn't live I took the only option available to me, I defriended him. He has the right to say whatever he chooses, I have the right to choose not to listen.

Certain topics get people so heated that they post things that they may be sorry for later, not realizing that everything on the internet is archived and can come back to haunt! Post at your own peril!!! Our criminal defense practice can attest to that!

Here are a few things that I learned in the last month or so via Facebook regarding my fellow Gothamites:
1. My son and Rona's daughter will be attending the same college in Sept. Yay!
2. HHDB became a grandpa--along with beautiful pics of baby Beth
3. I play Lexulous daily with Fred and he is quite clever (sometimes)
4. Mitch's co..CGT Marketing posts great tips, on CURRENT social Media
5. If AJS and Riva have visited a restaurant more than twice, I know I have to add it to my list
6. David Henry has some interesting friends that spoke very heatedly about exactly what you are discussing, Erik. David was a gentleman (in my opinion) I hope David talks about it here---
Strangely enough, I don't spend a lot of time on FB...it has replaced email (when I post a personal message to multiple friends)
I am with Rona, I have unfriended (just a few) not because I didn't like their opinion--they just got tiresome and we can all do with out negativity EVERY DAY or those that think their opinion is the only one that matters--it's not offensive--it's actually boring and sometimes quite insane. Death topics, gun control, children...there is a time and a place..and we all have choices.

Cindy-wings in Buffalo!!!!

Cindy is most improved in Lexulous

Cindy and Rona, I agree that tone and temperament are different from content. I have also de-friended people for things...excessive soliciting, whining, and literally a couple of people for nothing more than pluggin up half my page with "Farmville activities" (I know this must be some kind of code for Communist infiltration, lol).

I also agree with Corey's "same as face-to-face" policy.

Vince, to be honest, I got heavy into Facebook as it was reconnecting me with a large number of my fraternity brothers who were dearly missed. Since then, I have developed relationships with many younger fraternity brothers who I haven't met yet. Numerous friends and high school relationships have jumped in, but I do not do any business on Facebook. It is my choice to do all business through Linked In. I enjoy keeping up with people from my past and enjoy fair minded debate as well (as I'm sure many of you could have guessed).

Liked Cindy's approach to this whole thing. I rarely spend time on FB. Got better things to do.

I just felt like in my group of friends I've been out of the loop as people would say things to me like "didn't you see this or that? I posted it on my facebook page". I guess that's what got me to join. It seems like some people want to go over every detail of their day on facebook and others rarely use it. I guess it's good to be in the loop but like I said, I still don't get the real attraction to it.