Should Facebook Be Used for Political Discussions?
By Jo Miller
@pjmurphy (2498)
United States
August 19, 2020 5:06pm CST
I must admit I am a political junkie. I love politics. I follow the races closely, watch the primaries, study the issues. I have been doing this for many, many years. I like to say it is my favorite spectator sport. I know the issues and the candidates, usually contribute to my candidate of choice, and I always vote. But I am seldom highly active in the process itself.
I’ve always had friends, sometimes close friends, who were on different sides of the political issues from me, but I never let that interfere with our friendship. And I never believed that social media platforms, like Facebook, should be used for political discussions. That is until the 2016 election and subsequent four years of the Trump administration.
Since that election I have been much more active on social media about politics than before. I decided I could not keep quiet about what was happening to our country. I have never unfriended anyone on Facebook and don’t intend to start, but I had the first person to unfriend me following that election. I am selective about what I will post or repost, but I do speak out. I am concerned, gravely, for the future of this country and what this administration and its fans have done to harm the country, so I feel an obligation to speak out against those things.
I am actually looking forward to a quieter time about politics in general, where I can just get back to a normal life and work in my garden, read a lot of books, have quiet conversations with my husband, and play with my granddaughters.
I hope that time comes soon.
9 people like this
9 responses
@wolfgirl569 (135789)
• Marion, Ohio
20 Aug 20
I ignore most of what is on facebook. Too much of it is not true. I did unfriend an old classmate of mine back when Obama got elected. He started posting that any one who voted for him was a communist and such. It is starting to look like a couple more may go this election. I see the name calling starting again. I agree that we should all be friends and accept that not everyone feels the same way. But some just will not.
2 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (135789)
• Marion, Ohio
20 Aug 20
@pjmurphy I use it mostly to keep up with distant family and friends.
@JWMILLER (3275)
• Westmoreland, Tennessee
20 Aug 20
Some people seem unwilling to be reasonable on FB and other places too.
@db20747 (43419)
• Washington, District Of Columbia
20 Aug 20
I'm also a politics fanatic, I have to control myself or I'll go overboard! It's good to make comments and give your insight on Facebook. Sometimes the ideas are just a little far-fetched and at that point I will turn it off
2 people like this
@JWMILLER (3275)
• Westmoreland, Tennessee
19 Aug 20
I agree with you. Two of my friends have posted that they do not think that there should be political posts on FB, My posts are meant to raise consciousness, if people need it. If they find my posts offensive, they can unfriend me. I only make political posts that I think are pointed and that it would be good for all of us to think about.
@Namelesss (3364)
• United States
20 Aug 20
Can't say, I don't use FB. I will say though that if they are going to allow politics then there should be no censoring of either side.
1 person likes this
@acelawrites (19272)
• Philippines
2 Oct 20
That's needed today; be active in social media to share the truth; this is for the future generations.Trolls who spread fake info.should be banned from FB!
1 person likes this
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
22 Aug 20
My father turned me off politics because he was so involved in it. He even ran for state assembly. He lost, but he gave the other guy a good run for his money. He also let everyone know his opinion was the only opinion. So, I don't have anything to do with politics except to look at the platforms of the candidates before I vote.
