I’m pretty new to this social media stuff. Blogging on Red Alert for six or seven months and got into facebook in November while I couldn’t sleep in the UK. Can’t see the point of twitter for me yet.
My facebook friends are mainly local, mainly much younger than me, some sportspeople and followers and a relatively small number interested in politics. That group includes some Nats, some Act and some Greens but mainly Labour. Bit over 3k. I turn down a fair proportion of requests if they don’t meet my criteria and am pretty ruthless at dumping people mainly for using bad language, having links I don’t like or repeatedly putting game or quiz type things on my profile.
Last Wednesday night Metiria Turei used my status to attack Labour. Of all things it was on our record on the minimum wage – probably one of the best areas of progress the last government – but the subject doesn’t matter.
As I said above I’m new to facebook. I regard my page like my home. I chose who is there. While there are lots of discussions initiated by constituents I decide whether they run or not. But the idea of politicians using the comments section of my status to attack me just doesn’t seem right.
Metiria has her page and her blog to attack me. She can comment on Red Alert all she wants to.
So I unfriended her. She is all hurt. She says she will ask to be my friend again. She hasn’t yet. I will say yes. But I will watch her manners carefully.
ps I found Rod Donald and Sue Bradford good to work with (and Jeanette but only for a short time) – so its not a green allergy.
Not how most people see it. But it has been a good debate and I’m sure we have both got a bit from it.
Hey Millsy, yeah mate they were good. CENSORSHIP was impossible. Thank Clare for reminding me why I am thankful the internet is not regulated by people like you.
Trevor – I haven’t bothered reading all 50 or so comments so I will just comment on your blog alone. While I agree, your Facebook page is like your home, I guess one thing to bare in mind is that BUT FOR your status as a member of our parliament, you wouldn’t have quite so many friends – you would only have the average 150-200 like the rest of us! So in that sense anything you do in the public arena, is public property. Personal relationships etc excluded of course. My husband is one of your ‘friends’ so I have seen a few of the links that you have posted: if you are putting anything political on your page then as an MP you have to expect that there will be varying views in response. Judging by your responses, you seem to be by and large, really tolerate & accepting of this. However, courtesy is the rule of thumb and if Metiria Turei went beyond the realms of debate and into the arena of attack then you were right to cull her. Facebook is great for a bit of fun, a bit of networking & sharing ideas including a bit of political debate, but a full on attack is not the right forum.