General Discussion
Should Councillors use facebook?
Eyes of Dawlish is sometimes interesting, sometimes useful but often an unpleasant scandal-mongering tool.
Is it an appropriate place for our town councillors to moan about each other?
It is one thing for residents to make comment/pass on rumours but, unless to contradict/substantiate, should councillors get involved?
I'm referring to the current thread regarding the next Mayor, but it is not the first time it has been used in this way.
I know each cllr has their own opinion (supposedly - Voices for Dawlish seem on the whole to do as they are told but that's another issue) but are there better ways of expressing it than on a tittle-tattle page on facebook?
The Carnival has taken a battering there too, sadly another thread has appeared today from one of the committee members which seems to be either irrelevant or inflamatory.
Perhaps it's me, I just prefer not to live my life through facebook - am I the odd one out nowadays?
Ducki, I also saw the thread you are referring to and it made me feel very uncomfortable. I'm really not sure it is the right place to discuss this sort of thing.
Some of the carnival organisers did themselves no favours by earlier rants on Facebook and I would imagine they have been asked to cease.
Unfortunately the Post/Gazette seem to be using EoD as one of their main sources of information now, a bit like journalists and wikipedia. Some of the threads are okay, its great for recommendations and advertising things that are happening but as usual there are a number of rather sad people on there would seem to attempt to bully others for having different views. Whether I agree with what is said or not there is no need to ridicule people.
What's the betting there will be something in this week's newspaper about the views of councillors quoting EoD as "social media source"?
Brazilnut, the Deputy Mayor, seems that it may not follow that the usual protocol is carried out.
Flo - uncomfortable is the word is was looking for, and I agree about the Gazette using EoD a lot, bit lazy really but still it's better than hacking into someone's phone....
Perhaps eyes of dawlish is sometimes interesting and can be a useful tool but I don't think facebook is a good platform for discussion.
On facebook per se, the thing I hate most about it is the stupid boxes of faces that follow you around the web. I really really do not need to see a bunch of stupid faces on every website I go on.
They should just use the 'Council' section of this forum, which posts to Facebook, Twitter and also has an Atom feed. (The links are at the top right corner of this page)
I understand what people are saying about uncomfortable viewing, however, I do believe that FB is almost a part of people's lives now and it seems to me that the information is direct from the the 'horse's mouths' so to speak on there - because you can see the various Counsellors' comments and profile, so know its no-one putting words into their mouth, as some papers may do, so surely that must be a good thing. As for the Dawlish Gutsache, well, they always appear to struggle to find anything much to say...... so, like someone said I spos its better than 'phone hacking to get your story'!!!
To me Facebook is for just people who want to post things like ....'I am going shopping / clubbing' etc ..and WHO cares anyway!
I think people that post 'I am away on holiday for a week' are crazy! .. must be a dream place for a burglar. You wouldnt put a notice on your door saying nobody here for a week would you?...instead tell the whole wide world lol. Amazing Favcbook is so popular when people get so annoyed about webcams in the street. Facebook can track everything about you and mobiles can locate ecactly where you are!!!!! People happy with this it seems as everyone clutching a mobile tightly in their hand!
Poke.
I'm on facebook - insisted on my kids having me as a friend when I was younger so I could 'police' what they were saying.
I don't really have a problem with facebook itself - more the stupidity of people on it.
But, I consider being a councillor a serious role and one that should not be undertaken lightly and with facebook being a rather lightweight and frivilous medium I'm not thrilled to see our representatives banging out their issues there.
i agree with some comments on this site but feel eyes of dawlish is a site set up to discuss thing as we do on here,this councilor problem isx a local topic so if this gives people the opptunity to voice there views then thats good but i think you will find the councilor in question hasnt said alot on the subject it others doing it,as for the comment on the carnival it well they need a big kick up the backside as to contact them or get any answers out of them is hard and eyes of dawlish and this site was the only way to try and get them to answer question,so personally i feel these site do help with issues and everyone now a days seem to communicate this way,it is sad that some seem to want to use it to stir things or just have a joke at others exspense but most threads on here and eyes of dawlish are good debates but the problem is people dont get the facts first im not saying the councilor mayor thing isnt true i dont really know but if your going to post on these sites then you need to get your facts right first i think this is where the problems start when the facts arnt know so yes i think all people should use these sites but make sure your only reports facts and then there would not b a problem some use it for a kids playground and not for what its meant and that debating stuff