I dont have facebook, have never had facebook and i dont feel like i am missing out on anything, so my opinion is of questionable value in this toipc (when isnt it

)
however i think it causes more problems\arguments than it helps people keep in touch with distant friends\relatives. for some reason people seem to feel that they can post on someones "wall" things that would not normally be said in a public forum, and it drags others into the issue.
we had a situation 6 months ago. a young girl had been left out of the grand final side of netball. no one likes getting left out, but there is always someone that misses out. i know the feeling myself. a status update that started as a message of support from the girls mum, was turned into a slanging match by subsequent posts (by other people) and actually got to the point of threatening detailed physical violence against the coach.
it was all made worse as it was public. some poeple defended the coach, others started slagging them off and it snowballed. i can sympathise with the sentiments of missing out, but if it was all expressed in private it wouldnt have gone on so long, or escalated the way it did. in the end i got dragged into it (via my wife who is on facebook, and her sister was the coach. she was very upset) and for the first time i was a level head in the situation.
if these things had been discussed face to face, or via text message it wouldnt have gotten to the point that it did when it was all public.
long story short, it has benefits of people sharing news, photos and keeping in touch, but i peronally think that the negatives outweigh the benefits. i also think it isnt going anywhere in a hurry though, so ill just continue being a "rebel" and not join up